


The Shattering of Innocence

by Calypphire



Series: Innocent Temptations [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abuse, Arranged Marriage, Castration, Child Abuse, Evil Albus Dumbledore, F/M, Gen, Manipulation, Marriage, Multi, Other, Protectiveness, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Content, Statutory Rape, Swearing, Underage Drinking, Underage Sex, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-03-09 09:08:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 18
Words: 66,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18913876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calypphire/pseuds/Calypphire
Summary: Due to a Law that forces Wizards to marry at a certain age, if they haven't chosen a Bride, Severus Snape must abide by what is expected of him and be wed to a girl who was born with the only one purpose, to marry a wizard and breed future wizards and witches to keep the race going.The fight to have this archaic law abolished is at all time high.  However with a very tight grip to keep the practice by many, it's a struggle and at the expense of many Innocents having their lives shattered in the process.





	1. I Thee Wed

**Author's Note:**

> Ever since the 1500s the Marriage Law has been in place by the Wizarding Community all around the globe. The sole purpose to ensure that their existence was still high. Of course, as the centuries went by, the Ministries of the countries began to drop this law.
> 
> Whenever a girl into the community, she is either kept by her family, or she is given up to the Ministry in the purpose of what is believed to be a good thing for their kind. But as doubts started to arise, the decline in girls being handed over by their families happened. To the point where the Ministries sort other means to keep their Law held and the tradition of keeping control of something so valuable.
> 
> When a girl is procured into their amidst, she is taken to one of the many Boarding Houses, where she is to be raised and taught what is expected of her. When she turns eleven, she does get to receive her very first wand, like every other witch, but she is forbidden to go to any schools or have contact with the outside world, unless it is a requirement or with permission - with strong conditions attached!
> 
> Upon entry of the Boarding House, she is stripped of the name she was given at birth, except for either her first or middle name, to keep some connection to the family. Unless she was from a Muggleborn family, then she is stripped entirely and barred from any having knowledge or contact with them. If the family who surrendered her permits, she is allowed to know, otherwise, just like the Muggleborns, she is forbidden to have any knowledge. Not unless her husband permits her to know, if he knows himself.
> 
> In the case of Honey, she only knows of one relation she is connected to, her Grandfather, Albus Dumbledore, who gave her to the Pure Innocence Boarding House almost as soon as she was born. She knows of no-one else, not even the name of her own mother. Upon the learning of her first blood shed, Dumbledore made sure that she was to marry the one man he wanted to keep close at all times, Severus Snape.
> 
> When Severus Snape entered the prestige school known as Hogwarts, he, like every boy was required to, had to sign a magically binding contract, tying them to the Marriage Law. He was given until he turned 33 to find a wife and start having children. Some of his classmates had until they were 22 of all ages. The age was of a random draw between 19 to 45, and whatever the Wizard drew that was his fated age. Only a few get exempt from the practice.
> 
> The story starts with the Union of Severus and Honey.

Author’s Note: Naturally we all know that I have no ownership whatsoever of Harry Potter and his fellow wizarding mates. Original characters are mine.

**Warning! Not a story for the faint of heart! As this does contain certain content that is rather disturbing. Though I've added as much tags in and are likely to be added along to way, this story does and will have sections where adult/teen (child) relations will take place. Amongst other things, including some violence of physical and sexual nature. Hence why this is rated Explicit, as a warning, if you choose to continue on ahead.**

 

Chapter One  
I thee wed

 

Her heart pounded within her chest as she took her place at the start of the pathway she had to take. Beside her, a tall man with long stunning silver white beard and hair, wearing brilliant dress robes of black with silver and green trim. His piercing blue eyes peering at her from behind his half-moon spectacles.  
She took all of her strength to not satisfy him by looking back, keeping her eyes straight ahead, toward the man standing up at other end. The man she was being made to marry, because of a trumped up law that the Ministry refuse to abolish, never mind the feelings of the people it affects.  
The law was very clear, if a Wizard has not wed by the allotted age he’s been given, a Bride shall be chosen for him. The age could be as young as twenty-five to as old as forty. As for the Bride herself? Once she sheds her first blood of entering womanhood upon the specially magicked sheets she sleeps upon, within the boarding house she and the other girls stay in, her name will appear beside the name and photo of a man she will be betrothed for three months, before becoming his wife.  
Neither she, nor the Wizard can refuse the union. To do so will result in dire consequences. The Dementor’s Kiss was only one example.  
What did it matter to them if the girls were between twelve and fifteen? What did it matter if they were married to men 10 to 20, or more, years older than they? For it kept within their goal of keeping the Wizarding Race going. Especially more if the Wizard was born of either Muggleborn of Half-blood status, they didn’t want to risk them breeding outwards, rather keeping as inward as possible – but keeping that quiet of course.  
The music started, she nearly felt herself stepping backward, but the air of a hand brushing, but not touching, upon the middle of her back stops her and urges her forward.  
She concentrated on the man she was now stepping towards. He was tall, with black shoulder length hair and hooked nose, his black robes were made of silk and velvet, with green and silver trimming. Black, silver and green were chosen as the colour theme of this event, with small traces of light purple and powder blue, so is to make sure they know who the Bride was and her favoured colours.  
From his position, he could sense how she didn’t want to be here. Hell, he didn’t either.  
‘Blast this law!’ he thinks to himself.  
She was so young with her heart-shaped face, celestial nose and looking like a doll the way they dressed her up in the pure white dress and veil, and having her near white blonde hair in the wavy style, where half of it was pinned at the back, the rest flowing down to her waist.  
As part of the obligations, they had to meet at least three times, with an escort, before they were to take the oath of marriage. The meetings were so the pair got a sense of each other; learn what the other might wish to know before spending the rest of their lives together.  
He still remembered their first meeting. She was just sitting at the gazebo of the Boarding House she and the other girls lived.  
The first meeting was always at Pure Innocence Boarding House, because they wanted to remind the girls what their lives are meant for. To be with the man who they’re assigned to wed.  
He saw how frightened she was, but did her best to try and not show it. She was soft spoken whenever she would answer a question he had for her, or she for him. Hearing her made his heart thump hard with dismay. He remembered her answers, he remembered her questions. The meeting only went for an hour, they weren’t allowed to touch. No physical contact from males was allowed upon the Untainted Brides, not even a simple hand on the shoulder.  
It was the same for the next three meetings. He made it a point of having a fourth before the wedding.  
“It is my right according to the law. Three is the minimum, there is nothing to say against more than that,” he points out.  
She reaches the step where he was and stood on the same step, facing him. He could see that she was shaking, doing her best to not cry.  
“You may now take her by the hands,” spoke the Celebrant who stood on step higher than them.  
He holds out his hands for her to take. She was hesitant at first, aware of the other eyes upon her, especially of the pair that belonged to him... her grandfather... so she slowly lifted her hands and placed them in each of his. They felt warm, big and firm against her soft, small and delicate. The first time she’s been touched by a man and it was a simple thing of having her hands in his.  
The Celebrant then places a ceremonial cloth around both hands to bind their hand together and began to speak the words, at each and every sentence; the reality was sinking on in further and further.  
When the cloth was removed, (the first part of the spell of marriage in place), the rings were bought forth and the Celebrant addresses Severus;  
“Do you, Severus Joseph Snape, take thee, Honey Michelle, as your lawfully wedded wife? Protect her, care for her and ensure her obedience and loyalty to you, for as long as you both shall live, until death do you part?”  
Severus truly hated the words the Celebrant gave. They weren’t the usual normal type that were written via consenting couples of marriage, because they were free of their choice. These were written from a time where patriarchy was still a strong thing for some, which the Wizards, though they deny it heavily, actually liked about the Muggle ideology, so decided to have it for whenever the Marriage Law had to be evoked and put into practice. Such practice is very rare, but it still happens, today being a good example of how things just do not die off so easily.  
“I, Severus Joseph Snape, take thee, Honey Michelle, as my lawfully wedded wife, to protect and care for, and ensure her obedience and loyalty to me, for as long as we both shall live, until death do us part,” his voice as steady as he could muster, as he placed the simple white gold ring with a small emerald in the middle of tiny obsidian that made it look like a flower upon Honey’s finger.  
“And do you, Honey Michelle, take thee, Severus Joseph Snape, as your lawfully wedded husband? To cherish, to care for and to be loyal and obey, for as long as you both shall live, until death do you part?”  
Honey’s voice trembled.  
“I... I, Honey Michelle, take thee, Severus Joseph Snape, as my lawfully wedded husband. To... to ch-cherish and care for, and to by loyal and obey, for-for as... as long as we both shall live, until death do us part.”  
Upon Severus’s finger, an equally simple white gold ring, also with an emerald and an obsidian, side by side.  
A single tear escapes and rolls down Honey’s cheek, as the rings shone for a moment, sealing the second phase of the marriage.  
More words were spoken by the Celebrant, but Severus was looking upon his Bride, whose lips were quietly trembling, refusing to allow any sobs to be heard. She didn’t look back up at him, just kept her gaze down, with more tears rolling.  
“By the powers vested in me and that of our sacred laws that thrive to allow an honourable marriage to take place here today, I now pronounce you Man and Wife, you may now kiss your Bride.”  
Honey’s head shot up at this, the look of fear on her eyes, she has never kissed anyone before, but now...  
Carefully, Severus lifts the see-through veil that had been covering her face up and over the back of her head. Just as gentle, his places a hand under her chin, whipping away some of the tears, before leaning in and ever so softly touches her lips with his own. Her first ever kiss, and it the one the sealed her forever to this man, who was now her husband. He holds her just long enough to taste him, and he to her, and to show the witnesses who’re gathered, but short enough to respect the girl who was now his wife.  
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr and Mrs Severus Joseph Snape.”  
A strong and loud round of applause.  
Honey looks over to her grandfather... he simply nods. She, like every other Bride like her, had done what she was told to do. Securing the promise of continuing the Wizarding world, by having another wizard wedded and the possibility of bearing future witches and wizards into the world.  
But all Honey could think about right now was how scared she felt right now. For there was still the final step in ensuring the marriage is complete, and she wasn’t sure what she was even meant to do.

###

“This will be your home, now, so you can go anywhere you please,” Severus explains as the enter the manor, which was his by right of bearing the Prince blood and being the sole heir to claim it, and a nice escape from what he grew up in at the old shabby house in Spinner’s End.  
Honey looked around from where she stood in the foyer, it was huge. Well, it felt huge to her, with the grand stairs going up to the next level, the doorways that led one way or another from here on the bottom floor.  
“Would you like a tour?” Severus offers.  
“If... if you want me to,” Honey replies.  
He noticed straight off that she was thinking of the word ‘obey’ that was within the binding words.  
“Whilst you are with me, you are free to do what you wish. Though, we know there are certain... certain exceptions to this. I am unsure of what they have had you believe within the Boarding House, but I feel that you’ve perhaps been told that when in presence of others you are to carry out whatever it is I tell you to do, is that correct?”  
Honey nods slowly. “I am yours by right and law, if I disobey you’re allowed to discipline me however you see fit.”  
Yes, Severus had heard that many times. To the point where a lot of girls have been driven by suicide or tried to escape, because their husbands got too caught up with the power they had over these innocent Brides, who’ve been given over by their own families as young as five to be ‘trained’ to please the man they would to call their husband.  
“If ever such a time something like it has to be followed through, you are to follow my lead. I am not what majority have been in the past. There are genuine gentlemen who want to do the right thing by both law and by wife. You are still very, very young, too young to be in this situation, and many have been trying to change it for decades now.  
“I am sorry that you have to be one of another who’s been forced to be with a man who is much older in years. All because of the old rule of believing that once a girl sheds for the first time, she is old enough to wed, bed and be bred. If it wasn’t for the stupid outdated law, you would be married at all, at least certainly not to me, but to someone of your own choosing.”  
“But I am yours now and... I know we still have to... um...” Honey was afraid to look up at him.  
Severus was gentle with his hand, as he cups her under the chin and gets her blue eyes to look into his onyx ones.  
“I will give you time to freshen up and get yourself comfortable beforehand,” he says kindly. “I am aware that you’ve never been touched by male hands since being in the Boarding House, until you took my hands for the first time a few hours ago. So this will go slowly and carefully. I want to earn your trust, I may not have your love, which I can accept, but it is your trust within me that I would like to value deeply.”  
He felt her calm just a little, but only a little, she was still trembling with anxiousness.  
“So you won’t ever hurt me...?” she asks in her soft voice.  
Severus shakes his head firmly; “Not on purpose.”  
Honey accepts this answer. “May I have a look around?” she then asks, referring to the manor.  
Severus gives her a tiny smile. “Would you like me to guide you?”  
“I’d like that, thank you.”


	2. A lesson in sex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus gives Honey a brief tour of her new home, before leading her to the Master Suite.  
> He learns a lot more than what he was able to learn before, and he's not happy about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When a girl is placed into a Boarding House, she is given a list of what she is, or isn't allowed to do. This list is from the Boarding House itself, anything extra is from her Male Guardian, who owns her and has control over her privileges and rights.  
> Something Severus is about to learn.

Chapter Two  
A lesson in sex

 

The tour of the manor allowed for Honey to have some bearings of where she was. Being only ever within the walls and grounds of the Boarding House, she knew of nothing else, as she was forbidden to. The Keepers couldn’t risk her, or any of the other girls, being tainted, and so such excursions outside was only for the strictest of reasons and with the highest amount of conditions involved.  
“Is that a garden out there?” she suddenly asks, then immediately stopped. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to speak without your permission.”  
‘Just what on earth did they teach these girls?’ Severus’s mind blasted, before he said kindly; “You do not need my permission to speak, Honey. This is your home, and you are free to do what you please.”  
“If you wish... erm...”  
Seeing that she wasn’t how to even address him, (and some husbands actually liking the idea of being called ‘Lord’ or some other ludicrous title to further ensure dominance over their young wives), Severus supplied kindly with; “Severus.”  
“Severus. If you wish, Severus.”  
Severus shakes his head a little, having a feeling that this was going to take some time to bring her out and understand that she was free. Well... as free as one can possibly be given that she’s stuck with him via no choice of hers, or his, own.  
‘Curse this fucking law and its practices!’ Severus thinks to himself.  
“To answer your question, yes, that is one of the many gardens that are plotted about the acreage,” he decides to say. “Like within the house, you’re welcome to venture into the outside of it, too. If that is what you’d like.”  
“I’d like that very much, Severus. I’ve always liked being in the gardens around the Boarding House, I always felt safe among the flowers, away from the Keepers, even for a little while.”  
“The Keepers? Have they harmed you in any way?” Severus asks, perking a little at this.  
Honey’s voice was still ever soft when she replies; “I don’t know, but we were always disciplined for whenever we did something we weren’t meant to do.”  
“What sort of things?”  
“I wouldn’t want to bore you with such details,” Honey suddenly says, not looking at him.  
Again Severus had a feeling that this was the work of the Keepers within the Boarding House. He learned very quickly that she was only ever allowed to say so much during their meetings before their nuptials had taken place, and of the handling of the girls within the place during his handful of visits.  
Now he was seeing in full of just how suppressed and submissive these girls were made to be... all in order to preserve something that should be out of free will, like free women who got to choose their husbands.  
His voice with full patience, getting her to look up at him; “Honey, I would like to get to know you. Part of that is to know of your experiences before you walked up that aisle to become my wife. Part of gaining your trust within me is for me to know you as a person... not as someone who’s been programmed to simply please me. That side will only ever come out when it’s truly needed to keep certain... certain people from knowing that I have given you free choices. Do you understand?”  
“I think so. I hope so. I just don’t want to disappoint you.”  
Severus sighs, rubbing a gentle hand along her cheek and jaw. He could sense her still being so afraid of messing up.  
“So long as you belong to me, yes I say the word belong as that is how they want to see it, you’re allowed to make mistakes. You’re allowed to choose what you want to wear... or even what not to wear. What you want to eat, what you wish to do.”  
“Except during the times we have company, then I will have to do what you say without question,” Honey mutters.  
“I wish I can change that,” Severus admits to her. “But right now, it’s just you and me. You’re allowed to answer the question and I will listen.”  
Honey wasn’t sure at first, but goes on to answer, as they continued through the manor.  
“If we spoke without permission, or being spoken to, we were forced to wear a muzzle over our mouths that kept our mouths shut for however long they deemed suitable. Only time we could take it off was to eat our meals.”  
“Have you ever had to experience this?”  
“Only three times, each as uncomfortable as the last. Especially during sleep time.”  
“I’m sorry you had to endure that.”  
Honey shook her head at this. “If we tried to go to the bathroom without notifying the Keepers first, we were forced to just stand on the spot... and... told that in future we have to always make sure we ask or be seen, because they want to make sure they know where we are at all times.”  
“They humiliate you for needing to a natural thing as toileting?” Severus couldn’t believe what he was even hearing. Just how many of these girls have the chance to speak of what they have lived through to their new husbands? All in order to make sure they’re happy with them? “Why?”  
“Because we were told our husband’s decide what happens to us once we’re handed over to them. Including the use of the bathroom.”  
Severus stops dead in his tracks and looks right at her. “Merlin’s fucking beard, you do not need my approval for needing to look after yourself and keep clean! What the fucking hell is wrong with these people?”  
This sudden tone caused Honey to cringe and huddle into herself, doing her best to blink the tears threatening.  
“It’s what we’ve been taught, Master!” she whimpers.  
Realising what the sound of his voice had done, Severus mentally kicks himself, even more at the word ‘Master’.  
“Honey, look at me,” his voice now careful toned.  
She obeys, her blue eyes still blinking vigorously. He wipes her tears away once again.  
“I apologise for scaring you. Just learning of this has come of a shock to me, because that is just not how anyone ought to be treated.”  
“But, I was told...” Honey wanted to say, but lost the words.  
Severus hadn’t removed his hand from her cheek. “Then they clearly weren’t expecting someone like me to come on by, now did they? You’re not in the Boarding House anymore, you are in your new home, Snape Manor, where things are extremely different to what you’re probably used to. They no longer have ownership or say over what goes on with you and your life.”  
“But you do,” Honey says out of reflex.  
Severus nods a little. “To some degree that is true, as we both know and seemed to have gone to that subject again.”  
They continued on, moving on to the next floor and he showed her to as many rooms as could fit in, before guiding her to the final room, in the east wing, where the entrance was a pair of black doors with silver and golden snakes coiled among intricately detailed grape vines.  
Honey couldn’t help but trace some of it with her fingers, marvelled by the design.  
“Do you like it?” she hears him ask.  
“It’s beautiful,” she replies. “I’ve tried doing something similar with simple spirals and flowers, I couldn’t get it right.”  
“You like to paint?” Severus asks, with interest.  
“I like to do more than just paint,” Honey answers carefully. “Art and craft was one of the few things I was privileged to do. I don’t know why, though.”  
“Maybe they saw a natural talent?” Severus suggested, as he takes the handle and opens one of the doors and offered her to enter before him.  
Honey didn’t know how to answer that, but took the offer to go on ahead.  
She nearly stepped right back into Severus when she saw the enormousness of the room. The carpet that was of a rich peridot green, spread out over until it was met with the entry of the en-suite bathroom, where she could see the starts of a more darker green, like the colour of forest trees, and also out to grand windows, some of them opened up and led out to a quaint balcony, where she could see a little table and comfortable outdoor lounge, viewing the distant mountains and trees that were beyond the rich green grass and colours of the gardens below.  
A grand fireplace of black, green and light purple stones, with the mantle of brass and gold. In front of it was a black couch, with light purple and soft blue cushions and a coffee table that had a vase of lilacs and blue roses. Honey could see that amongst the black, green and silver were traces of her two favourite colours, light to soft purple and light to soft blue. Spotting the black curtains had beautifully designed light blue and purple finches, sparrows and wrens in either flight or resting on branches. The sheeting upon the four-poster bed were of deep green with light blue mixed within, except for the white sheet that she could see from where the top layered sheets and doonas were pulled back partly.  
She ignored this detail as best as she could, to explore more. Finding that she had been given clothes of her own, all organised and ready for her use within the wardrobe.  
“Apparently, from what I learned, I had to provide you with clothing and such, so I made sure that I had your measurements and I hope that they are of a good fit for you, even adding a few so that you have some room to grow, being that you are thirteen and most girls do not stop at their full height until around fifteen to sixteen,” Severus tells her, as she touches the smooth texture of one of the dresses and browses through some of the other choices she had.  
“I have never seen so many clothes before, or had a choice on what to even wear,” she says, she looks back at him. “Thank you.”  
Severus was pleased that she was pleased.  
The bathroom, as Honey saw a glimpse of until now, was exquisite. Definitely like stepping into a forest, with the sophisticatedly placed tiling and panelling of green, white marble and copper and brass fixings. The shower and bath gave off the appearance of a waterfall falling into a little rock pool.  
Here, she could see that there were also touches of light purple and light blue; including a mauve coloured satin dressing gown and pale blue night dress displayed on hangers, upon a hook beside the shower, near the plush towels on the rack.  
“Would you like to freshen yourself? Or would you like something to eat?” Severus then asks.  
He saw once again the affects of her ‘upbringing’, for simply being asked of what she would like to do sounded foreign to her.  
“Um... I am not sure,” Honey answers with honesty, she looks at the bathroom when she does.  
This didn’t go unmissed.  
“Go and freshen up, Honey,” he says kindly. “I can send for food to be brought up.”  
With those words, Honey steps into the bathroom and slides the door closed, figuring she was allowed some privacy for the time being. Severus certainly didn’t stop her, so she took it as a small sign that he was speaking truth of his words about allowing her freedom, including, as it seems, basic privacy.  
She starts to undress, which took a bit given that she was still in her wedding dress, but once out of it, she was able to get things off much more easier after that. Except, that is, for a single white and gold belt that had a single pure white cloth between her legs that linked from the front to the back.  
The idea came from the Muggle chastity belt, only much more comfortable for the wearer; it was an item that every Untainted Bride receives once she reaches the age of ten. Once it is placed upon the girl, it cannot be removed for any reason at all – it magically ensures ability to clean and toilet and stays fresh and clean for the girl, so she wasn’t in any risk of infection or discomfort. Not that there hasn’t been any attempts to try and remove it, all of which failed.  
There was only one person who can break the belt Honey was wearing, and that was the man on the other side of the bathroom door.  
Unbeknown to Honey, however, Severus quickly slipped out of the bedroom and went to one of the other bathrooms, so that he, too, could clean up. He could have easily used his powers of ownership and joined Honey, but he meant what he said, even with the inevitable, he wanted to gain her trust.  
He showers quickly, but long enough to feel clean, fresh and smell acceptable to his new and very young wife. Once he was satisfied, he puts on a pair of dark green satin-silk long pants and a black dressing gown of the same material.  
He then summons two of the House Elves who resided in Snape Manor and asks for them to prepare a tray of simple foods and beverages for him and his Bride, before going back to the master room.  
Severus saw the bathroom door was still closed, but hears the shower being turned off. He goes over to the bed and sits upon it, the House Elves entered the room with two trays, one with an array of the simple foods, such as fruit that had been cut up, fresh sweetened cream and melted chocolate dip, different cheeses and crackers with choice of two dips; the second with two bottles of wine, one white, one red, two jugs of freshly made juice and a jug of water, along with glasses to accommodate for choice these drinks.  
“Just place them on the end of the bed,” he instructs them, which they oblige.  
Once they carried out their orders, the House Elves left, closing the door behind them.  
As Severus pours out drinks, one red glass of red, one glass of white, one of the choice juices, (making sure it was the coconut and pineapple one) and a water, the bathroom door slid open.  
Honey was wearing the night dress and gown, she had dried her wavy white blonde hair, where it was flowing down. Just from looking at her now without the layers, he could see that she was still not fully developed within the chest area, she wasn’t flat, but she certainly wasn’t full either.  
Severus could sense her anxiousness over this. From what he understood, and learned from their past meetings, Honey had to be completely covered, except for her head, face and hands. Flesh of any other kind was not to be seen in public, until her new husband had the privilege of seeing ‘the virgin flesh’ on the final act of completing and sealing the marriage and decide what can be seen, or not seen, after that.  
With a gentle tap beside him, Severus gestures Honey on join him on the bed. She does, though seeing the stark white sheet made her want to move right on off again, it was part of the completion to seal her to be forever bound to Severus.  
Her lip started to tremble.  
Severus saw this and gently moved the top sheeting to block as much of the white as possible, even covering her legs, so she didn’t have to see the reminder of what was to come. This helped Honey a little to try and settle down.  
She looks at the trays, then at Severus. She was hungry, but she was still bound by what she was taught all her life. To not eat or drink, unless permitted and to eat without complaint. But when she saw the things she actually liked on the food tray, she was confused. Honey remembered being asked what she liked in terms of favourite foods and drink, for she saw the pineapple and coconut juice, and her second favourite, apple and guava juice.  
Severus explains to help her understand and ease her more; “For as long as you are under my care, you do not have to eat what you don’t like, nor forced to eat it all. Yes, I know of that, by chance passing some of your housemates being made to eat whatever it was they really didn’t like... even going further and it disgusted me to no end, even voiced it. You will not need my permission to eat or drink. You are permitted to try things if you would like to, including wine, champagne and other beverages that is of alcohol, however anything alcoholic should only be when you are with me and in certain amounts.”  
“But... I was told that I shouldn’t have such things as alcohol,” says Honey.  
“This would be the Keepers, I assume?”  
She nods.  
With a slight curl of the lips, Severus tells her - “One of the loopholes that’s been discovered, and has never closed, if anything it’s probably in some footnote among the Marriage Law and the Powers of Ownership is that when a husband permits his wife to do something, nothing can be really done to overrule that decision. You would still have to obey me in public, but if I permit you to try a firewhisky for example, no one can stop me from allowing you.”  
Still hesitant, but game after Severus’s explanation, Honey reached forward and picked one of the de-pitted cherries and popped it straight into her mouth. The delicious tart flavour went over her tongue. Cherries were only ever allowed for two occasions, Christmas and her birthday, any other time, it was forbidden, because it was a food she really enjoyed. Most of the foods she favoured, with a few exceptions was not allowed, except for treats that the Keepers believed she earned, even then, they were rare. Only a handful of times had she been able to have cherries outside the allotted times, those were whenever her grandfather came to visit her.  
“You like?” Severus asks.  
“Yes,” Honey replies, helping herself to another cherry, dipping it in the cream first. “Thank you.”  
Severus gently brushes his fingers down Honey’s back, she straightened up a little at his touch. These were still new to her, he knew they would be, since even the Keepers, though all females, would only ever touch the girls when it was truly necessary, otherwise touching the Untainted was against the rules. Spells, charms and even potions were used to ensure that no one touched the girls in any way that would risk put the girls at risk of being tainted and seen as unworthy for a Wizard who was waiting for her to be at his side and in his bed to enjoy, knowing that he and he alone was the first and only to truly touch and mould the girl into what he wished for her to be.  
Honey didn’t stop Severus, her training forbid it.  
“If your husband wants to touch you, kiss you, or even have sex in however he chooses, you are to submit to him. You belong to him and you are to obey him to ensure that he knows you are his dutiful wife,” Honey recalls from her earlier years. Something that is repeated over and over.  
“Are you comfortable with what I am doing?” he gently asks, as his fingers continued up and down Honey’s spine, the material the only barrier.  
She liked what he was doing, it was like a tickling sensation, but without the need to flinch or laugh out of reaction, he could see it in her face. He then goes and picks up a grape and offers it to Honey, by placing it to her lips, which she accepts, in doing so he brushes his lips on the very top of her forehead, before helping himself to some of the cheese.  
Silence came for a little while as the food was consumed, and Severus continued to trace his fingers and brush his lips upon her. Always soft, always gentle, she was easing to his caress. But he noticed something as well, but didn’t want to bring it forth, not yet, for he had offered Honey to try one of the wines, which she accepted, only taking a sip of the red; sharp with a sweetness.  
“Is wine meant to make your head spin?” she asks, placing her hand to her head where the spin feel was coming from.  
“That would be alcohol,” said Severus, taking the glass away, Honey had only taken two sips, but to him that was enough for her, he didn’t want her sick. He was prepared to allow her to have wine and such, but taking it slow if she was comfortable, yes, she was thirteen, but she didn’t have to wait until seventeen like the “Free Witches” have to.  
Honey places her head back on to one of the very comfortable pillows. Severus quickly goes over to the bedside table, opens a draw and pulls out a vial.  
“Here, it’ll help,” he offers.  
Honey took it and true to his word, the spins stopped almost as soon as the potion was swallowed.  
“Thank you,” she says.  
Severus then magicked the trays off the bed, and has the jugs of juice and water, with some glasses set within reach, while the trays were placed by the table near the door.  
Honey didn’t refuse him, as Severus went back to soft strokes and touches of her arms and back and now, as she was lying on her back, stomach. Gentle kisses over her face and neck, including the ears, chin, and jaw.  
“If you are comfortable to answer, and this is from wanting to understand better to keep you at ease,” Severus kept his tone even.  
Honey opened her eyes, for he had stopped.  
“What exactly have you told to when it came to this? Or know?” he was careful with his wording. Not wanting to insult her, but he noticed how her own hands were just on either of his arms, not doing anything, like she wasn’t sure of what she was even meant to do.  
Honey was trying her best to not sound upset, because she was afraid to annoy him, he could hear it in her soft spoken tone; “To just lie down and open my legs to allow you inside me, breaking my belt and that’s all I know. I don’t know what they mean by it, because I wasn’t allowed to know really anything, except to just do what I am told.”  
“You mean... you were never taught about sex?” Severus was again careful.  
“Only about just letting you inside, I don’t know anything else, I’m sorry, Master, I’m sorry, please don’t hurt me,” Honey was now blinking tears and genuinely confused and upset.  
Severus just wraps his arms around her and hold her, rubbing her back. He was pissed, not at Honey, for she was truly the real innocent here. No, his anger was toward the people responsible for putting her in this position. It simply made him wonder just how many girls were also forced to not know the basic ins and outs of sex and how they’re being shipped off to live with men who are twice their age to be exploited without even knowing what to expect.  
“Honey,” he soothes, pulling away just enough, but not letting her go, she was clinging to his dressing gown, which was now partly open. “None of this is your fault. You haven’t done anything wrong and you have nothing to be sorry for. My name is Severus, and you do not need to call me Master. Unless you came with a bottle and started granting wishes, I am not your Master.”  
Honey didn’t understand the reference. Severus now just learned how she had no idea on Muggle entertainment, and why should she? It seems the only thing she ever got to do was paint and make things from what he was gathering in what she’s been telling him.  
But to not allow her to understand the fundamentals of what she was to really expect, just lie down on a bed and open her legs that was all she was told, that was it.  
“Do you know what I need to do, to be inside you?” he carefully asks.  
Honey shakes her head. “No.”  
Severus studies her face, before asking his next question. “Do you know what a penis is?”  
“Boys and men have them,” she answers simply. “But, I’ve never seen one, I wasn’t allowed to see an undressed man. None of us are, unless granted special permission by our male guardian, which...”  
“You weren’t allowed.”  
“No.”  
An exhale escapes him, thinking how to help her. Most of the girls within the school he teaches were given the knowledge they needed in sexual education and puberty, as majority of them seem to start their first bloods at Hogwarts, he lost count on the many embarrassed and upset girls from his own house he had to deal with over the years, even more to the fact that he was a male, but he was mature about it and had no hesitation in sending for the school nurse to come and help the girls. Then there was when certain girls find themselves having sex... oh the many contraception potions he’s brewed over the years to keep the hospital wing stocked to try and prevent pregnancy.  
But this was a different case all together. Honey was completely almost without that same knowledge that the girls at the same age would have received.  
‘Just what are these girls meant to think by these people?’ he wonders to himself.  
“Are you curious enough to see for yourself what a penis looks like?”  
Honey’s heart thumped, she had always been curious, she had to admit to herself.  
“Y-yes,” she stammered just a little.  
Severus pulls away and gets to a high kneeling position on the bed, and lowers his pants, exposing himself. He wasn’t erect, but he knew that would change very soon. Honey took in this sight before her. She was curious, but hesitant to touch.  
He repositions so he was lying on his back, removing his pants entirely, and gently assists Honey to awaken her curiosity even more and teach her how to touch and rub him, not just with his manhood, but his body. In return, he was careful with his own touch, even when she asked if it would hurt, as he helped remove her dressing gown and not long after her night dress, leaving only the chastity belt.  
“For your first time, which tonight for you, it might, but it might not, everyone has a different experience. Do you understand?”  
Honey nods.  
Severus then studies the thing around Honey’s waist and between her legs, rubbing the silken material against his fingers, before grabbing part of the waist band and pulls at it, it rips within his grasped tug, until he had the entire thing off and in tatters tossing it to the floor, Honey gasps at the sudden feel of cool air against her now exposed privates.  
She hears the draw to the bedside table open once again, and she turns her head to see Severus pulling out a tube.  
“What does that do?” she asks, trying not to allow her voice to tremble, as he squeezed some on to his index and middle fingers.  
“This will help you to feel good down here,” he answers, moving close once more and ever so gently, parting her legs to be in between, and begins to rub the cool substance against her vulva and around the area.  
Honey squirmed, it tickled, and it felt good, until she felt Severus slide one of his fingers inside her hole. She felt the slight stretch, her face grimaces a little, unsure what to make of this sensation. Severus observed, keeping it slow and steady, he found a certain spot he was after, and Honey felt like she was on fire, but in a good way, moving her body up and trying to keep the stimulation.  
Keeping his finger on that spot, getting her to naturally release her feminine juices, which was another small trick of the lube, Severus lowers and brushes his lips against hers, one of Honey’s hands travels down and finds him; his penis reacted to her touch, and he was fully erect by now and ready for her, but he want her to be ready for him.  
So he allowed her to keep stroking, while his own finger did what it was doing, until he draws close and whispers in her ear after kissing her briefly on the lips;  
“Are you ready?”  
Honey only nods, it was enough, to pull his finger away, gently help her own hand guide his penis to her opening, before taking her hand away, and uses his own to guide the tip of the head in, just enough for her to feel her starting to stretch. She started to whimper.  
“It stings!”  
“What else do you feel?”  
“Feels big, and I feel wet, did I just pee myself?”  
Severus shakes his head. “No, women have a natural fluid that excretes to help keep the sensation of pleasure and also allows the penis to enter her.” It still saddened him that his Bride was never, ever told of this. Her first real lesson in sex and it was during her first time.  
“Do you wish for me to continue?” he asks her.  
He only asked, because once he was fully in, he had to keep going until he ejaculates his semen within her in order to cement her bond to him, and to ensure her maidenhead was fully penetrated and as broken as he could make it as evidence of their deed.  
Honey, places trembling hands on Severus’s waist, bracing herself, before she said yes.  
Severus slid his entire length inside her... he drew her close and tight as he hears her soft whimpers. Honey trembled a little, for he felt large inside her and she couldn’t help feel the slight burning sensation.  
“Are you okay?” she hears the tentative and caring tone.  
She nods.  
“Please be gentle,” she says softly.  
Severus lightly kisses her, before starting to motion himself back and forth, gently as he could muster, she whimpered a little each time he slid back in, but those became less, as she started feeling the pleasure Severus spoke of. Even her sound changed a slightly. She was also aware how he kept checking over her after every few thrusts, his cautious kisses, and words, keeping her relaxed as possible as the deed continued.  
In time, Severus shuddered and felt himself releasing inside of Honey, much to where is seeped out. Honey could feel this weird thick and sticky wetness leaking out of her.  
As he pulls out of her and allows her to sit up, she nearly started crying when she saw the blood amongst the cum on the white sheets.  
Severus gets Honey to look at him, brushes his her threatening tears away, speaking gently to her, easing her to calm. “Some who have sex for the first time may bleed. It is from what is known as a maidenhead. I didn’t mention this to you in lead up to me pushing inside of you to break your virginity and sealing my ownership over you. I didn’t want to frighten you, hoping to keep you calm throughout, for that I am sorry.”  
Honey could hear the sincerity and genuine apology within Severus’s voice.  
“Will I always bleed?” she felt stupid with her unknowing. She always believed it was normal to not know, but now... just being with Severus and feeling him touch her, kiss her and penetrate her... she wished she did.  
She sees him shake his head gently. “Maybe,” he does answer. “Everyone is different, like I’ve said. It’s going to take some time for you to get used to the sensation, but I promise you, your comfort and trust is more important to me than sex. Tonight was partly an exception, as we both knew it had to be.”  
“But you still made me feel safe.”  
“Good. Because that is what I wanted you to feel. How else did you feel?”  
Honey thought of the past moments of being touched, kissed and the sex. “Good... even when it hurt, it felt good.” She paused for a moment. “I liked it.”  
This pleased Severus, he had done what he set out to do.  
“Here,” he then said, picking up the glass of juice and give it to her. “Hydrate.”  
Honey took a sip of the juice, enjoying the pineapple and coconut, and feeling some rejuvenation from it. She hadn’t realised how zapped she’d gotten. Severus took the glass of water and nearly skulled it all.  
“You are welcome to go clean up, if you would like,” he says.  
Honey didn’t refuse the offer, shifting off the bed and going to the bathroom. Severus watches her, before sliding off the bed himself and ripping the white sheet off, so that the dark green one that was underneath it was now showing.  
The sealing of Severus’s ownership upon Honey had been complete, and the evidence that was required by law was plain to see. He folds the sheeting carefully and places it in the velvet black, green and silver, that changed once the entire white sheet was sealed inside it, light blue and light purple added and the crest also changed; from a hooded cobra on a grape vine, to having a little sparrow perched within the protective coils of the snake. Ironic, snakes eat sparrows, but this one, which was Severus’s symbol, was clearly making sure its little sparrow, which was Honey’s chosen symbol, something all Brides must choose before she is married, wasn’t to meet any harm.  
Once the this was done, the bag disappears; to arrive at the Ministry of Magic, within the department of which kept track of these marriages, for it to be processed and confirmed that Honey was no longer within the ownership of her male guardian, Albus Dumbledore, and owned by her husband, Severus Snape.  
Anyone who didn’t do this was made to deal with the punishment that comes with disobeying and Severus didn’t want Honey to suffer.  
Satisfied, Severus moves over to the bathroom, Honey hadn’t closed the door, just went straight into the shower and turned it on. He watches her quietly, she was in her own little world, with her eyes closed, relishing the water hitting her. Almost subconsciously, his hand travels to his cock and rubs it for a moment. He wanted her again, to take her in the shower, have her feel him once more, as he would push her against the wall, he pushes this out of his mind, he would not abuse his hold on her... he might get some of his way with her, but out of trust from her.  
Honey opens her eyes and looks over to see Severus walking away from the doorway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my belief with this corrupt Law and how it works, it's simply to keep the girls they've obtained in complete obedience. To remain ignorant because that is how the Ministry want to keep it.
> 
> Honey is lucky she had someone like Severus to help guide her through her first time and understand a little more about sex. Many of the girls before her, or even perhaps after until the law is abolished, never get the chance. They're just told to lie down and open their legs, that is it.  
> A sad, sad fact within this Universe.


	3. A Little More Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus must go back and teach at Hogwarts.  
> Honey is left on her own for the first time in her entire life.

_Chapter Three  
A Little More Understanding_

 

Honey had never known a more comfortable bed to sleep in. The bed she was made to sleep in was of a single metal frame, with either a thin mattress or an old spring one, depending on whatever the changeover was, as mattresses had to be changed once every six months, except for when a girl sheds her blood, that mattress is changed automatically and the old mattress is send to the Ministry with the girl’s details for them to see and put on record.  
She didn’t know how long she had slept for, but when she woke and saw the time, she nearly panicked and went to start hurrying off the bed. Severus, who had just exited out of the bathroom after having his morning shower and wearing a clean pair of dark grey pants that he liked to wear just for round the house and a green plush dressing gown, saw this.  
“Honey?”  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sleep in, it won’t happen again!” she cries out.  
Severus frowns with confusion and sees that it’s nearly 9am. Then it dawned on him. Sighing a little and once more wanting nothing more than to curse the Boarding House, Severus goes and stops Honey from getting out of the bed.  
“You have done nothing wrong. So please do not think you’re going to be punished for having a sleep-in, or what you consider to be a sleep-in. I don’t know what time you’ve been forced to wake up every morning, but that is different here, okay?”  
Honey wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words, so just nods. She allows him to hug her and peck her on the forehead.  
“Now,” he continues, “Would you care for some breakfast?”  
As he spoke a House Elf walks in with a tray containing scrambled eggs, toast and tomato soup, plus a jug of fresh orange juice.  
Honey was famished. “Yes, please.”  
Breakfast was divine.  
“It is best to let you know that I will have to leave the Manor later this evening so is to return to Hogwarts, as I have classes to teach and I need to organise a few things before hand,” Severus informs Honey sensitively. “I would take you with me, but I’d rather not have attention bought on to you so soon after our union. In time, I might have you join me, but for now, it’s best to keep you safe within the grounds of our home.”  
He made the point of saying ‘our home’ instead of ‘my home’ because as far as he was concerned, this was Honey’s home, too, and he wanted her to feel that way.  
“I will be gone until tomorrow afternoon after my final classes of the day. You know you are free to wander around and do what you please here, so don’t feel that you are stuck to this room until my room. If anything, I’d encourage you to get to know your bearings. The House Elves are on hand whenever you need anything, just ask them.”  
The thought of being left alone in this huge house sounded frightening to Honey. She wasn’t used to being alone, Severus could sense this right off.  
“You’ve never been by yourself before have you?” he then asks.  
Honey shakes her head, lowering her gaze, again feeling inadequate and stupid.  
“We always had a Keeper within sight to stop us from... from giving into temptations,” she replies.  
“What sort of temptations?”  
“Eating what we liked; the activities we aren’t allowed to do, either because they said we couldn’t, or our Male Guardian forbade it, but even if we were allowed certain activities, it was heavily monitored, I couldn’t just paint or sculpt whatever I liked; we watched during showering and bedtimes to make sure we weren’t to touch ourselves unless needed to, because of fears of tainting ourselves,” Honey’s cheeks were a soft shade of pink.  
Why didn’t this surprise him? Severus did his best to not pinch the bridge of his nose to think of what he just heard and process it.  
‘Did this place swallow a Bible, or something?’ he couldn’t help thinking.  
“Well, I guess the Keepers can go fuck themselves, because you’re with me now and you’re allowed to be by yourself. I am sure you’re capable of occupying your time and you’ll find that at times you’ll actually enjoy the alone time. Pretty sure the small moments you’ve been alone, even just being in the bathroom was nice, yes?”  
“It was, yes.”  
“You will be fine during my absence,” Severus assures. “But in the meantime, what would you like to do today, until I depart?”  
Honey thought about it. “I’d like to see the gardens, if that’s okay?”  
Severus smiles. “You’ll enjoy them once you’ve seen them in whole.

###

True to his word, she more than enjoyed what she saw, she loved it! The sights, the smells, the colours! Everything was sectioned and divided up neatly and beautifully, from the flowers, to the trees, fountains and garden ornaments.  
“Are those actual fish?” she asks, spying the large pond, complete with a little Asian style bridge and fountains to match the design of being in a tiny part of Asia; including Chinese Lions and a Japanese Turtle, where the world was on its back.  
“Yes,” Severus answers, watching Honey’s sheer fascination as she took a closer look. “Do any of them have names?”  
It may seem like a childish question, but Severus reminded himself that she was still by technical accounts, a child, even at thirteen and developing into a woman, she was still very much a girl. Plus, he had a feeling she didn’t get this much excitement throughout her life until this point.  
“No,” he answers simply. “I don’t think I thought to give them any, as they look the same.”  
“Not all of them, that one has a large white spot on its forehead, almost like a jewel, and that one has little dark spots on it, oh and that one is multicoloured, bit like a tortoiseshell cat, only it’s a fish,” Honey points at each and every one of the fish she’s spotted in the pond, seeing them with keen detailed eyes.  
Just seeing this caused Severus to look at her with awe for a bit. To him, they were just fish that helped complete this section of the garden, but to her, they were clearly something else to her. But then, he remembered how she would watch the sparrows and wrens flitting about during his visits to her at the Boarding House, how she concentrated with this deep focus, but she never lost the conversation or question he would ask her.  
“You have a real eye for detail,” he comments.  
Honey takes her eyes away from the fish and looks at him. “What do you mean?”  
“What I mean is, you really see the fine lines that others may have missed,” Severus clears up for her.  
“Is that a good thing?”  
Severus nods. “Yes.”  
She smiles, he smiles in return.  
“Would you like to have lunch out here?” he offers.  
“Can we?” she was a little surprised.  
At this he couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. “If you’d like to, it’s a strong possibility.”  
Then it was settled, a tray of sandwiches and lemonade was bought out, so Honey could still enjoy the sights around her.

###

After a soft kiss, Severus bid Honey goodbye.  
“I’ll see you tomorrow as the sun is setting,” he tells her.  
She nearly clung on to him, but let go so he could use the fireplace in the library to Floo himself to Hogwarts. Honey watched as Severus disappeared into the flames, vanishing from her sights.  
Hugging herself, she felt lost. She hadn’t known this feeling before. She always had someone watching her, telling her what to do and why it had to be so. Being allowed to do what she liked with Severus nearby was one thing, even after the number of hours of being with him she noticed how much freedom she had been given and it was bliss. Yet this? This was different.  
She looks around from her spot, taking in the dark bookshelves that were stacked with books, ornaments and others. Pictures hung along the wall, the dark green carpet tying into the handsomeness of the room, along with the large dark desk and dark grey lounges.  
Stepping over to the shelves, she examines the objects, tracing her fingers along them, including any lettering that were on any of the spines, in wonder of them, before she suddenly felt herself snatching her hand away from them, like she was being shocked with electricity or something. Just as quickly, she walks away from the shelves and right out the library, tears rolling down her cheeks.  
“Does Mistress need assistance?” a squeaky voice asks upon her exit.  
It was one of the House Elves; Minksy, Honey thinks was the name. Large eyes and ears with a small nose, she wore a maid’s uniform that was made out of old, but decent, pillow cases. Severus never liked the way the House Elves were forced to dress in simple tea towels and other items that marked their position, so he designed those very items in a way that still allowed them their duties without fearing they were going to be set free.  
“Are there any, um, paper and something I can use to draw with?”  
Minksy bows low; “I shall get right to it, Mistress. Where will you be?”  
“I’ll be in the Master room.”  
With her orders, Minksy went away, and Honey found her way back to hers and Severus’s room.  
She could have gone anywhere else in the house, but it was just too overwhelming for her.  
Once in the room, she settled on the lounge by the fireplace and drew her legs up a little and sat quietly, wiping her face from the wet feeling from her sudden burst of tears from just minutes ago, she felt stupid. She was free! But why did she feel that she was still under control? She wanted to do things and learn what she hadn’t been able to, but there was some little thing in the back of her mind that had been installed in her for as long as she could remember, a piece that kept reminding her of what she was only ever going to be good for and to try and do anything else would be a waste of time.  
She was lucky to be granted the ‘privilege’ of doing art, so she had been told, for she had been told she had a talent.  
“Something that your husband would find pleasing to know that his wife can do something other than open her legs to him,” the voice of a Keeper enters. “Plus, your grandfather insisted after seeing your replica of a cat, you were only two, so I doubt you’d remember.”  
The Keeper was wrong, Honey did remember that cat. She didn’t understand why, but she was able to draw with near perfect lines and shadings of that cat, she wished she still had it, but they never let her keep anything she created, explaining that they are nothing but a distraction and aren’t welcome. Honey didn’t know what has ever become of her creations, be it drawings, sculptures or even a simple Fairy house she made out of an old flower pot, complete with furnishings and windows that she thought the fairies would like in this little house, she was only eight years old when she made it.  
Minksy enters the room, holding a few sheets of paper and pencils that were of different shades and colours.  
“Thank you,” Honey says, suppressing a sniffle.  
“Is there anything else Mistress needs?”  
Honey shook her head. “No, thank you.”  
Once again, she was alone.  
Moving to sit on the floor, so that she was level with the coffee table, Honey picks up a grey lead and after a moment to think, she begins to draw.

###

Unbeknown to Honey, Severus had seen her rushing away from the books in tears. As soon as he arrived in his office, he went straight to his desk, where a black and gold framed mirror was kept. During the lead up to his marriage to Honey, he was given this special mirror, it becomes operational the moment of their first kiss as husband and wife at the altar.  
He taps it, the glass ripples for a split second, before going clear again, except instead of seeing his own reflection, Severus was seeing the library and Honey.  
If he hadn’t of been told of this device, and holding it within his own hands, Severus wouldn’t have believed it existed. But he now understood why it was known as the Husband’s Eye, only the husband of the girl can make it work and watch her from anywhere he chooses to be. The rumours he had heard and stories, some of which made his blood boil, making complete sense of these men and their power tripping over these innocent girls, to the point where many take their lives, or attempt to, if there are children, they take them too if able, because these ‘men would use the children as emotional weapons upon their Brides, knowing that despite everything, many love the children they have.  
Severus observed as Honey examined the shelves, only to watch her only seconds of attempting to touch a book, taking her hand away just as fast and bolts, watching, as the mirror follows her, going back to the Master Suite after talking to Minksy and settled down to drawing.  
“Enjoying the delights of the new ownership over your little pet?”  
Severus looks up to see Albus Dumbledore standing in the threshold of his office door.  
“She’s not a kitten or a puppy, Albus,” the Potions Master frowns, as he places the Husband’s Eye on the desk in front of him. “What can I do you for?”  
“Just checking in on you, since I am surprised that you hadn’t chosen to take my granddaughter to some place nice for a few days,” Dumbledore remarks, stepping into the office. “Also to see how she’s handled the last twenty-four hours or so of being in your possession?”  
The words the older wizard used irked the younger one. Severus also knew why he 'couldn't take Honey to some place nice', at least not yet.  
It still beggar’s belief as to how this man could say one thing about praising well educated witches and how they ought to be respected, only to turn and say, in behind doors, how it’s brilliant to have such a law in place, because, while education was important, so was breeding and ensuring the Magic folk thrive. Never mind that the argument and stats over the passing years have proven that the Law was no longer needed, that the numbers are healthy and that the girls, (and some wizards) getting caught up in this were suffering; especially on the suicide rate on these girls, compared to those, (whom are 17 and over), who got to choose for themselves, this also taking the men, who have wedded before the age they were given, off the list.  
Just as disturbing how this man could see his own flesh and blood in such a way, it was appalling to Severus to know of Dumbledore’s perverted mind.  
“Honey is handling everything just fine, Albus, no need to concern yourself,” Severus answered.  
“Well, I hope you are grateful for having her at all. Such a pretty little thing like her, coming from good stock, has be had eyes upon her for quite some time, asking if she’s shed her first blood and requests to have possession of her. Such flattery coming from a proud Male Guardian such as I, who was blessed to have such a child related to him.”  
Severus’s spine tingled at these words.  
“What of her mother and father?” he asked.  
Dumbledore had suspected for this question to come, for some reason, Severus couldn’t ask it until his ownership over Honey was complete. “Honey’s father was around, until her mother died when she was still very small, her father couldn’t raise the child, so asked me, her grandfather, to do what must be done. He was so grief stricken at the loss of his wife that he disappeared entirely, never to be seen again.”  
“Has he ever tried to make some sort of contact?”  
“I am sure he has, but getting in contact with the Untainted Brides in waiting is impossible. The Keepers only allow so much,” Dumbledore tells him.  
“But as her Male Guardian of the time, surely you would have allowed it?” Severus replies.  
“Her father simply chose what was best for her, that is all I can say, Severus,” said Dumbledore, putting an end to the conversation.  
“Is there a way I can get in contact with him?” Severus proceeds, he had known that Honey had no knowledge of her parents whatsoever, but he felt that now that she ‘belonged to him’, maybe, just maybe, he can wield these powers he had gained.  
Unfortunately, Dumbledore shakes his head. “I am sorry, Severus, you can certainly try, but even I have had trouble locating him. I wish I could be of anymore help.”  
The older man turns to leave, but stops at the door and turns back to Severus.  
“I just know he’d be glad his daughter is in good hands,” he adds, before leaving Severus with many questions buzzing in his head.

###

“Is that a ring?”  
“What?”  
“On Snape’s finger, look!”  
Harry discreetly points in the Potions Master’s direction in the classroom, where Ron and Hermione followed.  
Sure enough, they saw the white gold ring with the emerald and obsidian on the left finger.  
“When the fuck did that happen?” Ron whispers, making a face.  
“It would’ve been over this past weekend, he wasn’t wearing it last week,” Hermione was just as low toned.  
“I feel sorry for the woman who’s stuck with that miserable fucker,” Ron remarks.  
Professor Snape caught this in passing and looks directly at Ron, who’s face turned a shade of red from the glare.  
“Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr Weasley, for being rude.”  
The Golden Trio watched the Professor walk away.  
“Nice one,” Hermione hisses. “We don’t know the circumstances and frankly it is none of our business what Professor Snape does in his personal life. So what if he did get married, what’s it to you?”  
Ron’s face changed from the red of embarrassment to a darkened expression.  
“Not unless he’s got himself a young wife,” he mutters.  
“What do you mean?” Harry was confused, but Hermione already knew what Ron was talking about, however Hermione maintained her stance on the matter.  
“You know that Law is still in place, Ronald! Even with people fighting to have it extinguished, or changed dramatically. You of all people would know, as you, along with the rest of the boys upon entering this school would have signed his name on one of those contracts. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to finish my work and not get into further trouble!”  
Harry didn’t understand. “Law? What law?”  
“Marriage Law,” Ron answers. “Remember that parchment you signed in our first year?”  
“Yeah, the very next morning before we got our very first timesheets.”  
“In our fifth year we would be given the our ‘due to wed age’, it’s the age we have to be married by, or else we’re given one.”  
“You mean, forced marriage?”  
“Yes,” said Ron. “The Brides that are handed over to those who ‘failed to wed’ are as old as we are, even younger. It is very rare to receive a Bride fifteen or older when the groom reaches the ‘due to wed age’. That is if he doesn’t get hitched before then.”  
“But... why?”  
“To keep the wizard race going,” Hermione answers this with a tense voice. “While some us girls are what is called free, like myself and Ginny for example; whereas others, girls who are sent to places known as Boarding Houses, are put aside to be nothing more than breeding cattle.”  
“What if neither want to go through with it?” Harry asks.  
“Some can have their magic stripped, others face the Dementor’s Kiss,” Ron replies. “And that’s just the blokes. You don’t want to know what happens to the girls.”  
Harry was curious to know, but from the expressions on his friends’ faces, he decided against it. If Ron and Hermione were saying these things, it must be bad.  
“Why hasn’t anyone gotten rid of this law?”  
“Control,” Hermione answers, a little more louder than she intended. “That’s what it is about, control! Because some men, regardless of which side of the spectrum you’re on in the magic or not magic, cannot get over the fact that girls and women are people, too, so they keep it there.”  
Realising she had gotten people’s attention, Hermione flushed, before she storms out of the classroom, not even caring, about the stuff she left behind.  
“Aren’t you going to punish her for that, sir?” asked Blaise Zabini.  
Professor Snape had heard the tone in the Gryffindor girl’s voice, saw her expression.  
“Just worry about your work,” he snips at the Slytherin, before continuing on in monitoring the class.

###

Hermione did return to the classroom, but it was when everyone else was packing up.  
“Miss Granger, I’d like for you to remain behind for a moment, please,” Professor Snape speaks. It didn’t escape his notice how the some of the other students started to slow down. “If the rest of you are not out here within the next five minutes, I will be deducting point and giving out detentions! Yes, Mr Crabbe, that counts you, Mr Goyle and Mr Zabini, seeing as Mr Malfoy is packed up and leaving.”  
This threat was enough to hurry everyone up and leave the classroom. Professor Snape and Hermione remained.  
“Professor, I am sorry, I -”  
Snape holds his hand up, signalling her to silence. Hermione obeyed. He could see the evidence from her face and eyes that she had been crying.  
“I am not angry. If anything, I can understand the outburst and yes, I did figure out what you’ve been talking about, nor did it take me too long as to why, either; perhaps I may know not the underlining personal reason on your behalf, whatever it is, but I am not punishing you on that.”  
This surprised Hermione. She also saw a different side she hadn’t seen before.  
“You’re against the Marriage Law?” she speaks aloud, but low still.  
“I’ve always been against it, Miss Granger, as many other of the male population. Sadly not as many to be heard, at least we don’t know, because some wear masks and parade how they want girls to be all free to choose, an any man who wish to remain single, can, or choose when it is right for them, not determined by an age. The mask wearers don’t want anything to change, only say they do.  
“So, I can see your side of the point about girls and women being controlled, but please do not have us all in the same category as the men you speak of. This isn’t to take a shine away from the true issue, which is the Marriage Law and how it is practiced. A four hundred and something year old law that was written to keep the population up because of the decreasing numbers and eventually turning into something that no longer fits, but the Ministry has always been slow when it came to taking out laws that are way too old to even be there, or shouldn’t be there in the first place.”  
“Then why not divorce?”  
Snape gave a bitter smile at this. “Because this Law doesn’t allow it. If my wife tried to escape from me, she could face punishment that I do not wish to give to details on, no matter how smart you are, I’d rather you not hear of it. If I tried to annul the marriage, I could face Azkaban or the Dementor’s Kiss, but not before watching the girl who’s been placed under my ownership, yes you heard correct, Miss Granger, ownership, as much I hate that description, it’s the nicer of the other ways I have heard going about, I can assure you, suffer at the hands of another male or two and forced to be wedded to one of them once I am out of the way.”  
“So, you’re as trapped as she is?”  
Snape gives a small nod. “Yes. But make no mistake, I do care for this girl, and want what is best for her, regardless of circumstances. So, I suggest you let your friend Mr Weasley know that if I hear such rudeness again, I will not be as kind as I was earlier. You may pack your things and go.”  
Hermione wanted to say something, but Professor Snape was already walking out toward the door that connected the classroom to his office.  
She may not have been able to say what she wanted to, but at least she had something else, a little more understanding of the man who was the Potions Master.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This just gives the reality of what is perhaps happening today. Has been happening for a very long time.  
> This isn't a 'what about the men' thing, but there are genuine blokes out there who want the women in their lives to have the same opportunities as they do. Some going that extra length to try and understand as much as they can, and the, of course, women toward the men, as there are men who do get a bit of a beating too for whatever reasons.
> 
> Also, though not yet disclosed, but a bit of a hint, Hermione does have a deep personal reason for how she felt, and it's more than her being a girl, though it would be part of that, too.


	4. Not Knowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Honey begins to settle into her new home, and getting more comfortable by each passing day, reminders of her old life crop right on up...

_Chapter Four  
Not Knowing_

 

Entering via the fireplace of the library of his manor home, Severus felt the immediate wave of feeling relaxed. This was his home and sanctuary, ever since his inheriting it, and putting his touches to it, it felt right.  
“Welcome home, Master,” said Patu, who was slightly more rounder than Minksy, wearing a suit made out of old sheets.  
“Thank you, Patu, where may I ask is my wife?” Severus replies politely.  
“She’s in sleeping on the master bed,” Patu answers. “Do you wish for me to wake her and bring her to you?”  
Severus shakes his head and replies; “No, no, that won’t be necessary, let her rest if she needs. Have you been doing what I have ordered you, Minksy, Barlee and Fyffe while I was away? Making sure Honey eats and looks after herself?”  
Patu gives a low bow. “We have, Master. Though she did she did ask for you during the night. We weren’t sure to come and get you, or not.”  
“My nights away won’t be frequent, only when necessary. I will explain this to Honey. What did you do to calm her?”  
“Calming draught, like you instructed if it was needed.”  
“Good.”  
“Will that be all, Master?”  
“For now.”  
Patu gave another low bow and disappeared to some other place about the Manor, while Severus made a beeline to the Master Suite.  
He sees Honey lying under the covers right in the centre of the bed, breathing in and out softly as she slept. The large bed looked like it dwarfed her.  
Quietly stepping over, he saw that Honey was holding something really close to her, an old ragdoll that was still in mint condition. Severus knew that Honey did brave the Manor at little bouts during the day, whenever he would check up on her, he must have missed where she found one of the old rooms that once belonged to one of his mother’s older female relatives, now passed on, the woman had a liking for making ragdolls that would go to sick children and struggling families with children, something that was rare back in those times, unless Severus misread his history books.  
A small smile spreads on his lips, as he gently sat down close enough to Honey and lowered to place a soft kiss on her temple. Honey didn’t even stir, far too deep within her dreams, and not wishing to disturb her anymore, Severus moves away and heads to the bathroom to have a relax in the tub.  
Upon his passing, he spied something on the coffee table, curious, Severus went over and was in awe.  
Drawings. Many of them. The vase of flowers in the room, one of the House Elves, a hooded cobra, even the fish that were in the pond. All of them in such precise detail that the awe changed to something more.  
Severus glimpses over to Honey, before taking a few of the pictures with him, he had an idea.

###

Honey awoke, she remembered getting comfortable on the bed, but didn’t remember falling asleep. Stretching out a little before shifting and rolling from her side to her back, she saw Severus propped up beside her, reading.  
Severus had seen her move within his peripheral vision, and turned his eyes away from the pages and to his young wife.  
“Enjoy your sleep?” he asks kindly.  
Honey nods, as she looked at the clock, it was six thirty in the evening.  
“How long was I asleep for?” her voice was almost on panic and fear, but not fully.  
Severus sooths her by brushing the tips of his fingers over her forehead. “According to Patu, you’ve been asleep since somewhere after two thirty, I came home at four o’clock, as I was able to get away earlier than full sunset. You must have been tired.”  
“I didn’t even know I was,” Honey admits.  
“Sometimes we don’t know what our body truly needs until it’s met,” Severus tells her. He pauses for a moment, for he hadn’t missed the fact that she thought she was going to be in trouble again. “The Keepers, I take it, didn’t allow for such needs?”  
She shakes her head, lowering her gaze. Severus stops her and keeps Honey’s blue eyes up to his onyx pair. He could see that she’s been holding back in what she’s had to deal with growing up. He didn’t pry into her mind, as he felt that, even though he ‘owned her’, Legilimency would just be wrong to use upon someone so vulnerable and yearning for someone to show her the kindness and affection that she had been denied.  
“I think that it may take you some time to understand that you are no longer in that place. I am not any of the Keepers. I am certainly not your grandfather. I don’t know what he’s denied you over the years to add to what the Boarding House has, but again, I am assuring you that you are safe here. You’re as free as you’re going to get living with me, compared to back there.”  
This eased Honey.

###

Honey discovered just how honest and true to Severus was to his words in regards to her freedom. Throughout the next two weeks, during Severus’s absence, or even whenever he was at home – of which he made the point of only staying away for one night at a time and spending the next with his wife to leave the next morning – Honey gained more and more confidence in finding out on what this new found freedom bought for her.  
Severus supplied her with her own set of paints and sculpting equipment, so she could keep with her creativeness. Honey was surprised to find that the drawing she had done on her first night alone were framed and placed about the Manor, she assumed that Severus had gotten rid of them, because that is what she was used to.  
“Why would I get rid of something that should be shared, Honey? Plus, this is your home now, why wouldn’t I add some of your touches to it? I want people to know, if they ever come here that you are my wife, and this is my stance on your talents and abilities and if anyone wants to say otherwise, they can go fuck themselves.”  
Though she nearly freaked out one morning when she woke up and saw that she had started her periods.  
“I’m so sorry, Severus, please don’t hurt me!” she cries.  
“Why would I hurt you?”  
“Because this is still new to me, I don’t know how to count for the next one, I messed up your sheets, and I am not pregnant!”  
Severus take her by the upper arms and gets her to focus on him.  
“Okay, firstly, the mess, that can be cleaned up, it’s nothing that can’t be fixed. Since learning of you coming to my home, I ensured that the products you need for sanitary purposes was in place, they’re in every bathroom for your disposal. I am sure you’ve seen them.”  
Honey had, so she nods.  
“Plus, weren’t you taught about how to keep track of your cycles by the Keepers?”  
Honey shook her head. “No. We were just told that bleeding is normal and that some days we bleed, others we don’t, but if we don’t bleed after a long time, especially after our husbands opens our legs, then we’re pregnant. We were told that if we didn’t get pregnant our husbands would be angry with us for failing to give him a baby.  
“I’m so sorry, Severus. I failed in what I was meant to do.”  
This not only surprised Severus, it shocked him completely. Just how much did Honey know about her own anatomy and what to expect from it? What exactly had they been teaching these girls?  
Not caring about the mess right now, Severus drew Honey in and held her close to him.  
“You didn’t fail, Honey,” his voice calm, but underneath he was simmering with anger for the people responsible for this. “I don’t think I was even expecting you to become pregnant right after your very first, and so far only, time in having sex. Such a thing is very, very rare, at least that is what I have learned.  
“I also don’t expect you to be pregnant for a good while, I don’t know if you really want to have a child, since you’re still very, very young and still developing, having a baby right now would not be something I’d want you to do. Do you want children?”  
Honey was about to answer in a way she was taught, but looking at Severus and learning from the past few weeks, she was understanding more and more of what being able to use her own brain and create her own thinking and decisions.  
At this, though with tears, she shook her head.  
“No. Later, maybe, I’d like to be a Mum, but... no I don’t want any now, if you approve of it.”  
Severus wipes her tears and brushes his lips upon each of her eyes, then mouth, keeping her close to him.  
“Yes, I approve, my little sparrow,” keeping his voice tender and kind and full of sooth, knowing that last part was her ‘training’ talking, but didn’t bring it up. “I approve of your decision to not wishing for me to sire any children by you, until you want to be. I would like to be a father one day, but I want your happiness first. Do you understand, my sweet?”  
Severus had started using the terms of endearments, ‘my little sparrow’, or ‘little sparrow’, or ‘my sweet’ and such after only a few days of their marriage, these seemed to help keep Honey calm, or to calm down, plus establish his own affections toward her. He had learned very quickly that she never really had much in people being affectionate toward her, something she did mention, but he didn’t understand just how deeply it ran until now.  
“Now,” he goes to say, looking at her. “Go and clean up, take as long as you need. If you need help, let me know, okay?”  
Honey’s natural soft voice said; “Okay.”  
Severus let her go so she could get off the bed and go the bathroom, he could see the patch where the blood accumulated on her clothing and then looks at where she bled upon the sheeting. Even a section his pants was a bit covered from when he pulled her to him.  
He was pissed. Not at Honey, never at her. She was forced to stay as a child, to remain ignorant, even with her own body and what it does! He was pissed that whoever was responsible for her denied her the basic need for knowledge once again. She was denied to know her own body and it’s functioning, as well as sex!  
‘What else have they denied my wife?’ he wondered once more over these weeks.  
He had noticed a fair amount over the time, but didn’t bring them up, because she was still learning that she was in a safe haven, where she wasn’t going to get into trouble for every single little thing, and for her trust in him, and his care for her to keep growing.  
The sheets were replaced, choosing cornflower blue with black, with gold grape vine patterns around the edges. (Severus made the point of adding Honey’s colours within the sheeting of their bed). The blood was cleaned without trouble, too. Beauty of being with magic was that getting certain stubborn stains out is actually very easy, if one knew how.  
He also changed his pants, before checking in on Honey. He saw that she was sitting on the floor, just letting the water fall on her, he also saw how she hadn’t gotten anything ready for herself for when she did get out, no clean underwear or padding.  
“Honey? Are you okay?” he dared to ask, stepping in further.  
Her expression was, once again, of confusion and embarrassment.  
“I don’t know what to do?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“The belt kept us from leaking, the Keepers said that we’ll be fine because we’ll be pregnant straight after our first leg opening and we won’t bleed for a while.”  
Then it dawned on him, the chastity belt!  
“You were not taught how to keep clean during your periods, because of the belt?”  
Honey nods.  
“I’m sorry, Severus.”  
This was a common thing from Honey, the apologies when something she thought would upset him because of her lack of knowledge comes into light.  
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Little Sparrow,” he was firm on that.  
He made a mental note to send an owl, but right now, he concentrated in helping Honey to clean up, (getting her to do it, so she was familiar with her own cleaning), and how to use the products on hand. Severus had no idea that his own privilege to learn this stuff would ever come in any use until now.  
Once Honey was dressed and comfortable, Severus helped her to the bed.  
“Rest here, I’ll be back with potions that will help with the cramping and I’ll have one of the elves bring up some chamomile tea,” he instructs. “I’ll also show you something that you might enjoy in a little while.”  
Honey obeyed. After kissing her cheek, Severus quickly went to do what he needed to do.  
First was going straight to the House Elves, instructing them of their orders, next it was to the study and writing a quick letter to be sent via owl, before going and retrieving the required potions and returning to Honey, who was returning to bed.  
“Are you alright?”  
“I thought I peed myself,” her cheeks a pale pink.  
Severus goes over to join her.  
“I’ve heard that it may feel that way at times,” he said, as he handed her the potions. “This one is to help with the cramping and this one is to help that your female area stays healthy.”  
Honey took them both. The cramping subsided, not entirely, but she wasn’t as uncomfortable as before. She wasn’t sure what Severus meant about the second potion, but she trusted him, considering he seemed to know how to help her in the first place with wearing the padding she had on between her legs to help stem the flow of her bloodshed.  
“I have also sent a letter to someone I know who may help you,” Severus adds, not wanting her to be alarmed when she sees other people in their home. “She may be here later on today, I am just waiting on a response.”  
Honey understood.  
Severus then takes his wand and waves it toward a particular section of the ceiling, just where the foot of the four-posted bed was. Lowering down on support struts came a television and it stops well so it can be seen from the bed, the foot posts made it look like a movie screen.  
“What is that?”  
“A television,” Severus answers.  
He retrieves the remote from the bedside table and climbs in next to Honey.  
“I’ve been able to reconfigure the Manor so that I can use Muggle technology, as well as Wizard. I did grow up in a Muggle area having a non-magical father, and I have always enjoyed the cartoons whenever I got to watch them.”  
He presses a button and the screen turns on and in seconds Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote was on. At first Honey wasn’t sure what she was even watching, but once she saw the Coyote getting an anvil dropped on his head and turning him into a pancake, she laughed. A real genuine laugh, the first time Severus had even heard it, and it was like music to his ears to hear it, for it was very much like her natural voice, soft and sweet.  
She allows him to pull her to him and cuddle her as they watched the Looney Tunes for the remainder of the morning, until Honey fell asleep. Severus softly kisses her on the temple, brushing her white blonde hair back out of her face and carefully shifted away, tucking the blankets up over her.  
The owl he had sent then came flying on in and he takes the letter;

>   
>  Severus;  
>  _I wrote back as fast as I had received your letter. I am shocked of what you’ve told me, I can sense you only wrote so much, but enough to still make me shake my head. I even showed Lucius and he’s going to use this as another piece of the case to bring down this Marriage Law._  
>  _Denying girls from knowing what their bodies go through and expect them to just know? That’s just preposterous beyond belief!_  
>  _Of course I will help you with helping Honey to learn and understand more. Lucky she had you, who paid attention in those classes, before Dumbledore cancelled them by the time Draco entered in, or tried to, not even Minerva McGonagall or Pomona Sprout would allow such knowledge to be expelled from the girls, regardless of her House. I still remember when Draco told me of when he saw McGonagall helping of the girls in his House when she was stuck. These girls need as much guidance as possible, and as you say, Honey needs a kind female, that I can do._  
>  _Whatever these Keepers – women of all things, to my shock and disgust! – have done to teach these girls, it’s not acceptable in any means.  
>  I shall be there at around two this afternoon,_  
>  _Sincerely,_  
>  _Narcissa._

Severus looks at the clock, an hour and a half before Narcissa’s arrival, so he began to prepare. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just imagine if Honey was with someone else who didn't know what to do or even cared?
> 
> These girls are just kept in the dark on the knowledge that should be a right to have.
> 
> At least you have a nice snippet of who else is against the Marriage Law.


	5. Deeply Embedded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy arrive.  
> Thank goodness they did...

_Chapter Five  
Deeply Embedded_

 

Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy arrived at Snape Manor via Floo at the time expected, where Severus was waiting for them.  
After the exchange of courtesies;  
“Where is Honey?” Narcissa asks.  
“Master Suite, she’s still asleep,” Severus answered. “Something that has also concerned me, and may need her seen by a Healer we can trust in this. Every so often Honey has been out of energy rather quickly, I don’t think that is normal. I’ve also noticed other things, but... I need help so is to help her.”  
“What other things?” Lucius asks, as he and his wife follow Severus.  
“I have a suspicion that Honey doesn’t know how to read or write,” Severus replies.  
“How so?”  
“She would watch me reading, but won’t go near the books herself, of if she has any type of book, it’s with mostly pictures in them with very little writing. I’ve seen her running away whenever she feels she’s going to get caught and in trouble. I don’t know what that girl has gone through, but I want to get to the root of it!”  
Severus doesn’t usually allow for any guests to be near the Master Suite, but this was a different set of circumstances.  
Honey heard the door and voices, opening her eyes and seeing Severus with two other people with him. One was a woman with long blonde hair with dark brown elegantly streaked, blue eyes and pale skin, wearing a set of robes that really spoke of her status. The other, a man, as tall as Severus, with skin that was paler than his wife’s and pointed eyes. But it was the chest length white blonde and grey eyes that really took Honey’s notice.  
Where had she seen them before?  
Honey wasn’t the only one who noticed something. But Lucius refrained, as Narcissa approaches the girl, (after a brief nod from Severus), while he and Severus stayed back.  
“How are you feeling, Honey?” Narcissa starts off with, her voice the kind she would bring forth to her own son, Draco. Warm, gentle and motherly.  
“Sore,” Honey answers. “Who are you?”  
“My name is Narcissa, the man over next to Severus is my husband, Lucius,” Narcissa answers. “Where is it sore?”  
“Here, in the lower tummy,” Honey replies, indicating the location. “And I have a bit of a headache and sore here.” She locates to her chest area, where she was still developing her little breasts.  
“Those are normal, Honey,” Narcissa assures. “Severus tells me that you have had the chance to learn about how menstrual cycles work, so I am here to help you and if you have anything you want to know, don’t hesitate to ask.”  
“How long is this going to last?”  
“Can you remember how many days the last one went for?”  
Honey shook her head. “No.”  
Narcissa now understood what Severus meant, within the letter to warn her, by Honey’s feeling as though she was insufficient and unintelligent.  
“I’m going to need a calendar and a self-inked quill,” she says to Severus.  
Severus doesn’t take long to find one and gives it to Narcissa, who had helped Honey to sit up so she could be seated beside the girl.  
“Okay, today is Saturday, the 27 September,” Narcissa says, pointing to the date.  
But she noticed how Honey just stared blankly at the calendar, and without a word gets off the bed and bolts to the closest spot to hide, the bathroom, closing the door.  
“That is what she does every time I see her with a book, she sees me and bolts. I have tried to talk to her, but I get nothing, having to distract her on to something else with assurance that she is not in trouble,” Severus explains.  
Narcissa goes over to the bathroom door, and knocks.  
“Honey, are you alright? May I come in?”  
No response. But after a moment, Honey slides the door just enough to be seen, looking at Narcissa, as if weighing up her options, before opening it all the way and allowing Narcissa to enter, the door closes the door again.  
Lucius and Severus didn’t intervene.  
“Remarkable on just how much she looked like Kynthia,” Lucius remarks.  
“Kynthia?” Severus repeats, then looks at Lucius. “Your sister?”  
Lucius nods, sadness in his eyes. “She was fourteen when she disappeared without a trace, we were on the verge of finally finding her, but only to find out she had taken her life by taking a large douse of sleeping draught and drowning herself. She was just shy of sixteen when they found her. No one would tell us anything of what had happened, or why it happened.  
“But then, it was back when a lot of girls either disappeared or mysterious started pregnant, many of them found dead or their mind severely damaged that there is no way that you can get anything out of them. It all stopped suddenly, around when the Dark Lord disappeared, you can sure as bet that many of the blame would have been blown on us for those disappearances.”  
Severus remembered that vividly.  
It did feel as though time slowed a bit, until the door flew open and Narcissa appeared, rather anxious;  
“Get the Healers here, now! You know which ones!” she orders Lucius, before turning to Severus. “You best be with your wife!”  
Alarmed, Severus hurried to the bathroom, while Lucius did what he was told.  
Honey was huddled on the floor shivering, paler than what she usually was and going in and out of consciousness.  
“Honey?” Severus kneels, placing a hand on Honey’s forehead and the other on her upper arm. “Honey, it’s Severus.”  
Honey didn’t speak, but she did hear him, moving her head in the direction of his voice for a split moment, but that was all she did.  
Severus looks at Narcissa for an explanation.  
“I don’t exactly know what happened, she was opening up and without any warning she collapsed, and she started bleeding profusely.”  
That was when Severus saw the blood pooling from between Honey’s legs.  
Lucius stood at the door.  
“The Healers are on their way, they recommended to not move her, but do keep her warm.”  
“The blanket on the lounge,” said Severus, not looking away from Honey.  
Seconds later, Severus was handed the blanket and he places it over the still shivering Honey.  
“It’s going to be okay, Honey,” he says.  
Moments later the team of Healers came, asking the Malfoys to step out, but didn’t tell Severus to do the same, simply asking him to give them room.  
“She needs to be taken to St Mungo’s,” said one of the two.  
“Why? What’s happening?” Severus asks, deeply worried.  
“We have our suspicions, but cannot say until we get Honey to where we can examine her. We are going to need your consent as her husband, and the fact that she’s thirteen so needs the her closest adult relative to consent as well, to check her entire being, including her reproductive system.”  
“Yes, if I have to sign the consent just give it to me! I just want to know if she’s going to be okay!”  
“She’s in safe hands, Severus,” the Healer assures, before they left with Honey.

###

Honey could feel the careful hands upon her, hear the mutterings, though her brain she wasn’t cognitive enough to grasp any of what was happening. She was talking to Narcissa, who she thought was really, really nice and she was able to speak of things he hadn’t told Severus, but as she spoke, her vision just started to leave her and before she knew it she was on the floor and unable to speak or do anything.  
She could hear Severus’s voice, even though she didn’t know what he was saying, just knew his tone.  
Unfamiliar voices, but caring all the same came and she felt herself being moved and placed on something firm, but comfortable, before she could feel tingling sensations and gentle hands going over her.  
She didn’t understand what was happening, but she could hear the voices of whomever was doing this to her, again unable to pieces words together, except for a few. Until her mind just sunk deeper in...  
First, she sees this beautiful face beaming at her; hair of white blonde, like her own and eyes of grey. Next she is crawling upon the floor, toward a doorway, she could hear her mother, she wanted to see her mother... but something stops her, a pair of hands picking her up, a man with auburn hair and piercing blue eyes, the nose was long and crooked, she started to cry. The man says something, but she didn’t understand... The man disappears and she now she is a little older, one of the Keepers yelling at her for reasons she didn’t know, and was locked in some place dark and it was hard to breath, as she wept and screamed, terrified... her grandfather speaking to the same Keeper, looking at her with a stern expression;  
“Do not lock her in the trunk again! Next time she is caught, simply put her in the broom cupboard, much more room and space to breathe. I want her as innocent and childlike as possible for the man I plan to have her wedded to, do you understand?”  
“I understand, Dumbledore.”  
A few years later she remembers slipping in and out of sleep, and someone looking over her, before being knocked out entirely.  
As she grew the more Honey yearned to be free, but every time she tries, she is caught and punished for it. They seem to pick on her and a few other girls more than others.  
She even asks her grandfather why.  
“The only thing a man truly ever wants from a woman is wishing she was young and ignorant to the privileges around her. If you weren’t of my own flesh and blood, I’d have you opening your legs for me, because you’re just so beautiful and I am sure you’d be a nice fit for your husband to be. You had best also make sure you become pregnant on your first time, or the consequences would be dire for you.”  
“Why?”  
But she wasn’t given an answer. When she asked one of the Keepers;  
“Because your husband will be angry that you failed and you’ll suffer the consequences for not becoming pregnant!” the Keeper spoke in such a way that scared Honey.  
A little later, she was caught trying to do something she shouldn’t have been doing, or attempting to do, she felt the bamboo switch at the back of her shins;  
“Teach you to try and look at things that do not concern you!” the voice was harsh. “You’re lucky I am not allowed to touch you with my hands... you wouldn’t like what I would do to you! That privilege is for your husband and I hope he rips your pussy open so you’ll feel as though you’re going to break!”  
But she didn’t feel as though she was going to break. Her mind going to that memory, of seeing him above her, he had gently parted her legs to get in between, pulling his finger away, and bringing the head of his penis to her opening. She felt it being eased in just a little, it did sting, she had whimpered, she remembered that, he asked her if she wanted him to go further and after the sting subsided a little and she could feel just how nice it was, she let him inside her, again it stang, but after a while, the pain was mixed with something she didn’t know existed, this feeling of bliss, similar to how she was feeling when Severus was playing with her with his fingers, and she liked it.  
He was gentle, caring and she would like to feel that feeling again, having him inside her. But she knew that she had to do what she was meant to do and that was to make sure she becomes pregnant with his baby!  
Again, earlier before she passed out... she remembered how she felt when she saw the blood, she was scared... Severus calmed her down, he wasn’t angry, he looked after her, he helped her, and he even got the really nice woman, Narcissa. A very different scenario to what she had been told all her life.  
Honey’s mind just kept going.  
She heard Severus’s voice once more, he was talking to someone.  
“This was in your wife’s uterus. She is the seventh one of the ‘Untainted’ to have been found with this, we suspect that there maybe more, but we were forbidden to examine the bodies to be sure.”  
“Bodies?” Severus’s voice had the tone of shock.  
“I’m afraid so. Honey’s, thus far is the only one we’ve managed to save of the seven who’ve come to us in the same condition, and all with this.”  
“What is it?”  
“It is the tiniest of inserted vials that has been specially designed for the Untainted, at least that is the theory we’ve come up with so far, and this was embedded into Honey’s uterus wall laced with a potion that slowly releases into the body as soon as the Bride’s hymen is broken for the first time, and the semen of her new husband is released inside her in seek for the precious egg she has been told she had to ensure pregnancy with.  
“Naturally, she would have been told so much. Every single one of the husbands we’ve spoken to who were willing to talk and allow us to do the examinations and extraction we had done on your wife, have all told us how the girls they were made to marry weren’t told what to expect, what was normal, or any of it. The ones willing to speak were exactly like you, the ones who actually cared, you can tell the ones who didn’t, those ones came to use well too late, after the girl was well past dead. The six before you, they got us as soon as they saw their wives down, but unfortunately, we were unable to save them. We have been close a few times, but... Honey’s the only one we’ve been lucky with, because of the timing, if Mrs Malfoy wasn’t with her and got to us when she did... we may not have been able to save her.  
“We have a suspicion that this potion, with the contents, and I am sure with your expertise you’ll know, of the side effects of them, I am willing to give you the sample we’ve collected so you can understand for yourself for peace of mind. We usually do not do this, but Honey is the only one we’ve been able to save, and we feel that you of all people with a background highly prestigious background in potions.”  
Severus sinks into the chair that was next to Honey’s bed. Trying to comprehend on what he had just been told.  
“What will happen to her now?” he asks. “Will she be okay?”  
“Honey will need to stay here for a few days, so we can keep a close eye on her, make sure she doesn’t turn for the worse and is on the mend before she can be release. It will also allow us to examine for any damages, well... other than what this potion could have done that is.”  
Severus stares at the pea sized thing that was inside the little sealed container the Healer was holding, his eyes darked as he examined it. That little thing nearly cost Honey her life!  
“Severus?” he then hears the soft voice next to her.  
He turns and sees Honey’s blue eyes looking at him, he could see on her porcelain doll face that she had heard. How much of it, he didn’t know, but clearly enough to understand, because she just started shaking. Severus was careful as moved closer and pulls her into his arms, Honey sobs into his chest.  
“I don’t want to die, Severus,” she sobs. “I didn’t know what I did wrong, but I don’t want to die.”  
“You have done nothing wrong,” the Healer spoke kindly. His eyes on Honey. “None of you have. Why this was even done to you and the others, we don’t know. We are trying to put the pieces together, ourselves. We’ve been working with the Malfoys and a few others, including the six husbands who’ve lost their wives and decided to that they want justice and the Law abolished once and for all.”  
“Am I going to die?” Honey sniffed, Severus squeezes her hand gently.  
The Healer shakes his head. “It is hard to say, we’ve had to give you a blood transfusion to compensate for the blood loss, and we’ve expelled as much of the potion that came from this vial, that is why we’re keeping you to make sure you are in the clear.”  
“Will Severus be staying with me?” Honey didn’t want to sound so childish, but she was afraid.  
“For long as I can, I have asked Narcissa and Lucius to help keep you company for when I cannot, and they have both agreed,” Severus sensitively answers her.  
Honey only nods to this.  
“Do you need anything, Mrs Snape?”  
It was weird for Honey to be referred this way, but she answers anyway; “I am rather thirsty.”  
The Healer gives a kind smile. “I’ll see to it that you get a jug and glass of pumpkin juice.”  
Honey made a face at this.  
“Honey is not a fan of pumpkin juice,” Severus says.  
“We have apple juice as well.”  
This made Honey happy.

###

“So how is my granddaughter going, Severus?”  
Severus stops writing and looks up at the man he would love nothing more than to punch right now. His left hand balling into a slight fist, showing his wedding band so Dumbledore could see the gemstones gleam and sparkle, showing just how pissed he was.  
“Alive and well,” he answers the older man.  
Dumbledore, for a split moment, looked as though he was shocked to hear of this news, Severus saw the few seconds change, before the calm, no expression came over.  
“I am pleased to hear that.”  
“Are you?” Severus’s voice was rather dangerous. “Are you really pleased that she escaped damage to her reproductive organs, which could have rendered her unable to bear children? Are you pleased that someone I knew was with her at the time she collapsed on the floor to get her to the hospital in time? Are you pleased to know that your own granddaughter didn’t die because of your misogynistic ways in not allowing her to know anything about her body and what happens to it? Especially when some shithead decides to put this inside her, knowing that it could have killed her if she didn’t become pregnant right after she has sex for the first time in her life?” He shows the little cylinder shaped container with the vial inside it. “Are you pleased that, even if she had of become pregnant, the embryo, or foetus, inside her womb would have died from absorbing the potion that was from that vial, which could have caused Honey harm, so in ways thank Merlin’s fucking beard she didn’t!”  
“You seem upset, Severus!”  
Severus couldn’t believe the tone of Dumbledore. Shaking his head with disgust.  
“Upset? Albus, I am more than upset! You, and those Keepers, denied your granddaughter the right to know what a girl goes through at that stage in her life. You denied her the knowledge of sex. Heck, you denied her the right to be able to read and write! She can’t read, Albus. Oh, yes, she told me, after a little notice from a friend, I guided Honey to talk to me and tell me as much as she could of her life in that horrendous place you stuck her in! The memories of being put in a trunk or some other small space... or hit by some object... all because she had a book in her hands, even a single picture book! A picture book!  
“You forced that girl to believe that she isn’t free to choose. You’ve led her to believe that I would harm her if she didn’t become pregnant with my own seed! What the fuck have you been feeding my wife? Painting me as this person that I am not! I am far from perfect, Albus, but come the fuck on! How dare you!  
“How dare you do what you’ve done to Honey! How dare you do what you’ve done to me! How dare on what you’ve done to the both of us!”  
Dumbledore held his head high, making Severus feel as though the older was looking down on him, and feeling as though he had done nothing wrong.  
“Well, if that is how you feel, Severus, perhaps I was wrong to have chosen you as Honey’s husband after all. I thought you would see reason and understand on why things have to be.”  
“What reasons would that be?” Severus sneered.  
“That sacrifices must be made to ensure efficiency and numbers stay at a steady incline, without over populating,” Dumbledore says.  
This angered Severus even more; “By killing innocent girls within weeks of their first sexual intercourse because they don’t get pregnant? Are you fucking serious? You! You and those Keepers nearly killed my wife! Many more have died because of the same result!” Once again holding the container up. “This had traces of valerian, oleander and a number of other ingredients to make the person sleepy, have loss of energy, headaches, and when done right, causes the person to bleed out. How clever to use the girl’s menstrual cycle to keep it under the radar, until it may be too late.”  
“Well, Honey was lucky to have had you, now didn’t she.”  
“Luckier than you gave me credit for in setting me up with her in the first place. You had it all figured out didn’t you? Every time I started seeing someone, they would mysteriously disappear or find reasons to call things off, leaving me in the clear for your granddaughter. Seeming to have had this belief that I owed you something for giving her to me to _own_ ,” he put strong emphasis to the word ‘own’, not taking his eyes off of Dumbledore.  
“By which brings me to inform you that you are very much mistaken. I owe you _nothing_ , Albus, just like all the other men who’ve had to wed with the due to the Marriage Law, once the sealing of ownership is complete, the role of the Male Guardian is broken and the role of the Husband takes over.  
“Because of this detail you seemed to have overlooked and thought to hold reign over me, and that of my wife, you will no longer be allowed to set foot within the grounds and walls of Snape Manor. You are hereby forbidden to contact or see Honey Michelle Snape in any shape or form. Even if she is with me at this school, and yes, I did make sure I had the correct information, I can bring Honey with me if I deem it necessary.  
“The spells and contracts have been done, you didn’t even need to sign, and just entering my office to greet me with your presence was all that was needed to seal the deal.  
“Now, I strongly recommend that you leave. I am busy and I would like to finish these reports so I can see my wife, who is still recovering at the hospital.”  
Dumbledore saw the dangerous glint within Severus’s eyes, never until now did the old man quiver at the sight.  
“As you wish, Severus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brutal to the max, sadly. *facepalm*  
> Mind researching poisons to fit the bill? That was between tedious and frustrating :-/


	6. Little Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honey is given the all clear to go home.  
> Severus helps her with the learning something she had been denied.  
> And Lucius remembers something of the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a mixed chapter ahead.

Chapter Six  
Little Memories

 

“She is free to go home,” said the Healer.  
Honey had stayed at St Mungo’s for nearly a full seven days. She would have been home earlier, if it hadn’t of been for the slight turn she made by finding herself bleeding heavily again and was in so much pain that she was having difficulty suppressing her cries and was scared.  
“I don’t want to die!” she sobbed.  
Her body had to be flushed again, thankfully there was no need for another transfusion, as she hadn’t lost as much as she had before. She was still extremely pale from her normal shade, though, with bags under her eyes.  
She was prescribed iron supplement potions once every two days for the next two weeks to get her levels to a more satisfactory level. As well as calcium supplements.  
“It is clear that whatever these ‘Keepers’ and the Male Guardians are doing, it’s not benefitting for the girls health. Other than forcing them to marry in the name of breeding, but placing those vials inside them to kill them? That defeats the whole purpose of procreating in the first place.  
“We have had to recheck the area, too, just to be sure, given that scare we’ve had, we had to be sure. Whether or not she does become pregnant in the future, it is still seen as vital for females to have healthy reproductive organs, much like males with theirs. From what we’ve been able to see, she’s going to be okay, she does have a little bit of scarring, but that could be from where the vial was placed, given the location of those scars. Her next cycle may take a bit longer to show, now that she had finally stopped bleeding all together, even with her not knowing the cycles start and end, maybe it would be a good way to use that as a start point in teaching her what she should have been taught in the first place.  
“With everything checking out and Honey meeting all of the boxes, and if all is well after tonight, she can be out of here tomorrow morning.”  
“Thank you,” says a grateful Severus.  
Honey was glad to finally be able to leave. She liked the Healers and the food was great, but, even though it was the only time she’s been in a hospital in her life, had gotten bored with being stuck in the same room, plus she wanted to be home, in her own bed. By home, she means Snape Manor, though she had only been there for a short time, it felt like the home she always wished and dreamed for growing up.  
Of course she was taken straight to the Master Suite but that was fine by her, she was where she wanted to be.  
Home.

 

###  
Severus hears the shower being turned, he opens his eyes and sees the place beside him was empty. Honey had been home a full day since leaving the hospital, where she was near spoiled rotten by Severus, making sure she had enough to eat and let her watch cartoons when she wasn’t too tired.  
The potion from the vial had been the reason for her needing to sleep, and in a way, it was still affecting her, though it was fully flushed. The Healer did explain that it may take a little while for her body to go into a normal routine of sleep and her energy levels, by taking it slowly, should be on the rise to a point where she has pep.  
“She may have bouts of requiring more rest on certain days, I have a feeling that is the Boarding House more than the potion itself.,” the Healer explained.  
Sliding off the bed, Severus walked over to the bathroom and sees Honey taking her dressing gown off, then her night dress. She checked the water temperature again, and was about to slide her knickers off, until she saw Severus standing there by the door.  
He made to leave in order to give her privacy, only to hear;  
“No!”  
Severus gazes at Honey, uncertain if that is was she said.  
“I want my husband,” her natural soft voice speaks. Her blue eyes beaconing him to join her.  
He was about to hesitate and refuse, but... Honey’s tone was one of truth, he heard that plainly. She had called him ‘her husband’, meaning she had come to terms with her life with him, as his wife. Severus, though it’s only been in a short while, but it feels almost like a lifetime, he had gained the one thing he wanted. Her trust in him. Did she love him? He didn’t know, but she wanted him, ‘her husband’.  
Severus approached Honey, cupping her face with one hand, her hip with the other, her own hands on his waist, as he lowers to bring his lips to hers. It was real, this kiss. Deep, or as deep as can muster, as he felt her shyness and inexperience, but she was trying, she wanted to please him, Severus could sense that within her. He guided her with the kissing, helping her get the feel, the taste, the affection.  
His fingers trace the elastic of Honey’s underwear, before her hand pulls them down, and allowed him access to her folds. He was gentle, always gentle, like he was the first time. Severus could feel her react to his touch, allowing him to carefully back her up against the shower wall, the water hitting them with its sensationalising warmth.  
They continued to kiss deeply, Severus keeping her at ease, as he carefully slid his finger inside her, hearing the pleasured sound escaping from her. Honey tugs on Severus’s now drenched pyjama pants, Severus helps her with his free hand, until they, like Honey’s underwear, were off. Honey peeks at the erection of her husband’s penis, before sinking back into his kisses, and he helped guide her hand to the length.  
Carefully, after a few moments, Honey felt herself really up against the shower wall, Severus holding her securely, as his length eases its way inside her.  
The softest, softest of whimpers, being her second time on feeling him, but it was quickly taken over by sounds of bliss, which encouraged Severus to keep going. He could feel Honey shudder against him, as she felt the fire within her. As she shuddered for a second time, his own body is rewarded for its efforts, by ejaculating and releasing his semen inside of her.  
Honey is held by Severus for a few moments more, as their breathing began to slow back down, before she feels him pull out of her, and eases her back to her feet.

###

A little afterward when they were both dressed and breakfasted, Severus brings Honey out to one of the gardens, where a gazebo was located, with comfortable outdoor dining. It was here where he sits beside her and she sees upon the table parchment, quills and ink pots, as well as a few books – they were pictured with few wording, but Severus didn’t want to overwhelm Honey.  
He had asked her if she wanted to learn how to read and write whilst she was still in the hospital, and she jumped at the chance. She hated that she couldn’t understand a single word, let alone unable to spell her own name.  
Now she was here, with Severus, getting that opportunity.  
“Do you know the alphabet?”  
Honey shakes her head. This gave Severus a starting point. To him, one needed to at least know the alphabet, without it, one couldn’t form words. Well, probably could, as he started off by learning how to spell his own name, but that his own learning experience, Honey had to start somewhere and this was it.  
“We’re going to start with writing the letter A,” Severus begins.  
He shows her how to make both the capital and the lower case, and patiently watches her copy this, until she was confident enough to move on to the following letters.  
For most of the morning, Honey was taught the alphabet and memorising the sequence of the letters and how to write them, until she was able to say it without trouble.  
Refreshments was given after two hours, to allow for Honey to have fifteen minutes break, before getting back to it until it was lunch time, when she started to get rather tired. Satisfied that something had been achieved, Severus called it a day, and summoned for lunch to be served, opting for a hot lunch as it had been a rather cool October day.  
“What is that?” Honey asks, looking at the funny looking, white coloured meat that had been grilled and rubbed with various herbs and spices.  
“Fish. Cod to be exact,” says Severus. “I take it you haven’t had fish before?”  
Honey shook her head. “We don’t get to try much in the Boarding House. Every time they find something we happen to like we’re not allowed it, except one certain occasions. Otherwise, it’s all the same thing every week, and if they change it, it’s because they want to, or they want to make us eat it, doesn’t matter how we felt about it. I never knew chocolate existed until coming here.”  
“Explains why you weren’t sure of the melted chocolate dip on your first night, and kept going back it like it was going to be taken away for enjoying it, when you did try it.”  
Honey took up the fork and used it to pick up some of the cod, and tried it.  
“What do you think?” Severus asks.  
As the taste of this fish and whatever was added to it went over her tongue, savouring it. “Mmm, yum!”  
“You like?”  
“I like.”

###

“What are you thinking, Lucius?” Narcissa asks, curious and concerned for her husband.  
Lucius was standing at the fireplace, looking at a framed photo he held in his hands.  
“Hmm?” he responds to his wife, being so distracted with his own thought. “Pardon?”  
“I asked what you were thinking.”  
“Just how uncanny Severus’s young bride looked so much like Kynthia. The same nose, the Malfoy white hair. She even had the exact same porcelain doll face Kynthia had. Only thing I saw different was those blue eyes, like I’ve seen them some place before, one someone else.”  
Narcissa had reached his side and peered at the very last photo Lucius’s family ever had of his younger sister. She had just celebrated her fourteenth birthday, wearing beautiful dress robes for the occasion, her hair flowing. Her expression, however, was very mixed. Like she was trying to enjoy the day, but was distracted.  
Lucius and their father, Abraxas, knew that the poor girl was being harassed at school, but neither she, nor the other girls, would speak... or they probably couldn’t, as much as they wanted to.  
Two days later, Kynthia and three other girls, had disappeared. One girl from each of the four Houses of Hogwarts.  
There was a massive search for those girls, one of the rare occasions where all four Houses were united by something. Especially when they weren’t the first girls to disappear. There had been others. No-one knew where to look, the Ministry weren’t much help, except for the ones who were genuinely concerned, because there had been news of using desperate measures to meet the quota needed to keep the Marriage Law alive, because without a supply of ‘breeding girls’, as the Ministry referred them as, there won’t be any Law to keep, or there would a drought! Something they just couldn’t face.  
About a few weeks after this announcement, girls began to disappear. For five whole years, girls from all walks of life, rich, poor, witch, muggle, would go without a trace, almost in the blink of an eye. After a while, they would reappear, but their memories had been wiped clean, so heavily broken they ended up in the mental unit at St Mungo’s or wherever, or... or they were found dead. The most gruesome was of one of them being found sliced up in pieces and left in the fish tanks and the rest of her in her old room of her parents’ home...  
That girl was the Hufflepuff that had disappeared with Kynthia. Lucius remembered.  
The Ministry blamed all of the disappearances on the War that was happening at the time, because of the genuine chaos surrounding the situations.  
Kynthia was the last to be found, two days before she would have turned sixteen.  
No one knew of what had happened to her, except for the ones who weren’t willing or wanting to talk. But there was one piece of evidence, for the Malfoys had asked for a trusted person to perform an autopsy – it may be a ‘muggle’ thing, but when one is so desperate for some sort of answers, they decided it was the only way, and that was that they had found that Kynthia had been pregnant, the evidence of was within her womb, with the way it had been stretched and marked of bearing a child. But of course, there was no child with her body, so whatever had become of this child, the Malfoys didn’t know.  
Lucius remembered the tireless efforts he and his father had placed into finding that child, they didn’t care if the child was illegitimate, it was still of Malfoy blood and they wanted him or her safe!  
Even Narcissa tried to help where she could in between caring for their young son, Draco.  
Unfortunately their efforts came up fruitless and it was advised that they just let it go, and to concentrate on their own family.  
‘But Kynthia was family, and so was her child,’ Lucius thought still looking at the photo.  
Though Lucius hadn’t given up on the search for Kynthia’s child, and the whole thing sparking up once more, all because of Honey’s appearance.  
“I just want to know what happened, my Love. For that peace of mind... and perhaps some form of justice if there is a possibility.”  
Narcissa places her head on Lucius’s shoulder.  
“Answers will come, my Love,” she assures. “I have a feeling that we’re a lot closer than what we’ve been in the previous years since this whole thing had begun.”

###

She was seeing the beautiful woman, with the pretty blonde hair and grey eyes. She was smiling and calling to her...  
“Good morning, Sparrow,” she hears, before it fades away to seeing herself going down a hallway, toward the door, she could hear her mother.  
She wanted her mother, she didn’t know why her mother was making that sound, but it frightened the poor girl. Yet she tried to get to her mother, getting closer to the doorway, but it goes blank...  
A man with auburn hair and blue eyes, with a long crooked nose, she was whimpering and crying, for she was being held by a different set of arms. A stranger’s arms.  
“There, there, this is what is best for all of us,” he says. “I will still see you, just not as you see me now.”  
“Da-da!” she screams!  
But the man looks at the stranger and just nods, before turning and walking away. Next thing she knew she was in the dark, struggling to breathe... being scoffed and mocked and not treated nicely.  
“Your Mamma was a slut who couldn’t help herself!” someone hisses. “She may have loved you, but she didn’t have the right to keep you! Your Dada saw to that!”  
Her memory blanks again.  
“Grandfather!” she says with glee.  
A man with long silvery beard and half-moon glasses, smiles.  
“Hello, Honey,” he replies hugging her.  
He nods to the Keepers to signal them to leave... she doesn’t know what happened after that, for her memory once again faded.  
Then...  
“Honey!” spoke the panicked voice of Severus. “Honey, wake up!”  
Her eyes shot open and she was breathing hard. She saw Severus and just started sobbing, for she had only realised that she had been screaming just before, which prompted Severus to wake her up.  
“Pain!” she cried, into his chest. “Just so much pain!”  
“From the Keepers?” Severus asks.  
“I don’t know! I see myself in a room, in the Boarding House... and... I am seeing Grandfather... but it goes blank after that, but I remember pain and screaming for it to stop! Amongst other memories that I didn’t know where there, until recently.”  
“Talk to me, my Little Sparrow,” Severus sooths, keeping her firmly held, and lying them back, slightly propped.  
Honey tells him what she had ‘seen’, slowly calming back down in the process.  
“How long have you had these memories?”  
“Since my collapsing, I thought I was just dreaming, but, they don’t feel like dreams. I don’t remember screaming the last time.”  
“Perhaps this was a new repressed memory that’s come to the surface and it’s just bought forwards something that, as traumatising as it clearly was, is significant. How much do you remember of your life growing up?”  
Honey think of what Severus had said and replies; “There parts that are missing, or just don’t make sense. It’s like I try, but... something keeps blocking me. But it always starts with the woman, smiling at me, before I am down this hallway, it always blanks after that, going straight to that man giving me to the Keepers. I don’t know if it’s even normal to have such memories being very little. I mean, I remember the cat I drew at the Boarding House, but I was forever told I wouldn’t have remembered, because I was two, no two year old remembers anything.”  
Severus shakes his head a little at this claim, just more reason to hate these women who call themselves ‘the Keepers’. “Well, I can tell you that is wrong. I still remember things that have happened back when I was that age, perhaps much younger. I don’t think they are as vivid as yours, though, but I think it comes down to one’s own unique brain and function.”  
“But why am I getting them now? They hadn’t popped up before.”  
Severus firms his old a little more, brushing his fingers along her face, which seemed to be now a habit of his to help calm and sooth her, looking at her with caring eyes.  
“Perhaps you’re receiving them is because you had something traumatic happen and it’s jolted your mind to remember. Another theory I can come up with is someone had control over your memories and since being with me, even though it’s taken a while, the hold doesn’t have the effect it once did, so your memories, that you were denied, are starting to return you.”  
Honey rests her face partly into Severus’s chest once again, as he continued to trace along her face, forehead, and upper arms and back.  
“I just want to know why I ended up there. Grandfather never would answer me, saying that being nosy isn’t a good thing for a girl like me, whatever that means.”  
The mention of ‘Grandfather’ irked Severus, but he knew this is all Honey knew when it came to anything to having a ‘family’, so he couldn’t blame her for that.  
“We will find out together,” he then promises her. “If you want to know, you have every right to. I will be with you at every step.”  
Honey moves and kisses just under his jaw; “Thank you.”

###

“Are you sure you would like to come with me?” Severus asks.  
It was the next morning, and Severus had to go back to Hogwarts, but he also wanted to help further Honey in her learning how to read and write, so had asked her to join him if she was confident enough.  
By now it was common knowledge that Professor Severus Snape was, indeed, married, because of the Marriage Law. Plus one of the other Professors was also stuck with the same blasted Law... only to lose his wife via the method that nearly killed Honey. Severus only found out about Remus Lupin’s by accident, but learning that he was one of the six who wanted to know what the hell happened.  
She, the Bride of Remus Lupin, died two days before he was meant to start teaching at Hogwarts as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He did his very best to press on, many not being the wiser of what he had gone through, plus, as Severus knows, his furry little problem once a month.  
How people even learned about Remus Lupin’s Bride, Ebony, was a mystery, but they it came out the same time as knowledge of Severus Snape’s Bride, Honey. But, Severus also did learn at some point, the husband must ‘reveal’ his Bride to the public eye after several weeks of keeping her to himself and ‘moulding’ her to his whim and order.  
He figured that Hogwarts was as good of a place as any for this ‘revealing of the Bride’. (He truly hated these bloody terms they came up with for these things).  
“Yes, Severus,” said Honey.  
They Flooed to Severus’s office. Honey, being always one for her observation and need for details, looked around with genuine wonder. It didn’t seem to bother too much that there were preserved animals and such in jars, or that the place was somewhat dark, for she while was learning more and more about her husband, (like he was with her), it was cementing Honey’s trust and comfort further.  
“It’s like being in your office at home,” she remarks, for the features were very similar, including the preserved jars.  
“I do like to have reminders of home while I am here,” said Severus.  
Honey saw a framed photo of herself on Severus’s desk. She remembered that photo being taken, she was working on one of her paintings in the garden and Severus couldn’t help but want to capture it. It was just before her trip to St Mungo’s. An amused look was on her face as she picks it up.  
Severus just stands back and allows her to explore. Pleased that she was happy with the photo she found of herself upon his desk. He may not agree to the Marriage Law, but there wasn’t much use in hiding the facts, so in his subtle ways, accepting it for what it is.  
There was a knock on the door, Honey accidentally knocks an ink pot to the floor with alarm.  
“I’m sorry,” she says.  
With a simple wave of his wand, Severus had the mess cleaned and removed, before going over to the door to open it enough to see who it was.  
“Draco?”  
He opens the door wider to allow the boy with pale skin, white blond hair and pointed face to enter. His grey eyes sees Honey pretty much upon entry of his Head of House’s office.  
“Didn’t know you had company, sir,” he says to Severus.  
“Honey is going to be joining me here at Hogwarts every so often,” Severus explains.  
“So, you’re Honey?” Draco asks.  
Honey really felt like she wanted nothing more to hide. She hadn’t realised that being ‘revealed’ would be this nerve-racking, no matter how it’s handled.  
She just nods.  
“What can I do you for, Draco?” Severus diverts the boy’s attention away from Honey, to relieve her nerves, even for a moment.  
“I am having trouble with the essay you set for us.”  
“What exactly are you having trouble with?”  
“I found a list of ingredients that look the same, but unsure which ones are the right ones to complete the work,” Draco explains.  
Severus thought this over. “Come to me this afternoon once you’re done with your classes, bring this list you’ve found and I might see if I can help you on the right track.”  
Draco smiles. “Thank you, sir.”  
“Will that be all?”  
Draco was a little hesitant in answering. Severus notices.  
“Draco?”  
“I’d rather not say with Honey in the room,” Draco says.  
“Does it concern her?”  
Draco thought of his next words. “Only to keep your wife as safe as possible, sir. Word has it that there is a... um... a reward for anyone who scores a few moments with her. Double if it’s done on the day she’s revealed, and there has been bets of when that would happen, as well as the scoring.”  
Honey didn’t understand what Draco meant; Severus had a deep feeling that she wouldn’t, which makes her just as vulnerable to whomever is behind this age old game ‘Scoring the Bride’, which has been going on for as long as it was thought up of, (it is rumoured to have started in the late 1800s to the early 1900s, but no-one could come up with an exact date.  
It was an extremely sick game where men would seek out get the Bride alone, away from the protective ownership of her husband, and have sex with her, be that she is willing or not. It’s a test to see how ‘faithful’ she was. Majority of them are not.  
What makes it even worse is that some husbands would gladly share his Bride, because of the simple fact that he owned her and can allow such a thing, because she couldn’t say no to her husband’s orders. However, if a husband didn’t allow for such an act to happen, the wife is punished, regardless of whether she agreed to it or not. It is very different now, because it was understood a little later that punishing the wife for another man’s sick was causing the suicide rate to jump, so the rules were changed, but it didn’t stop the game from continuing on.  
“Do you know of any who are involved with this organised game?” Severus asks.  
“I have suspicions, but I cannot fully say,” Draco tells him. “Sorry.”  
“No, it’s fine, at least you let me know, thank you.”  
“Mum and Dad pretty much told me to help keep an eye out whenever Honey was here, whenever that was to be.”  
Severus had a feeling his parents would have put him up to the task.  
“Thank you,” the Potions Master says again. “I best let you get going as the bell will be going soon.”  
With that Draco was on his way.  
“I don’t understand, Severus, what was he talking about?” Honey asks, once the door was closed.  
Severus thought it out before deciding to not beat about the bush and explained to his wife of the game ‘Scoring the Bride’, but the time he had finished Honey was visibly trying to stop herself from being scared.  
“But I thought I belonged to you, meaning no-one else can touch me, why would they want to do that?”  
“Because some have this sick fantasy of getting with another man’s wife. Especially one who is so young and innocent. Matters not to them on who gets hurt.”  
“But you are my owner!”  
“Husband,” Severus corrects, knowing she was slipping back to old habit, so he hugs her. “I will do what I can to keep you safe as possible, Little Sparrow.”  
The bell then rang to single for people to get to their classes.  
Severus sighs a little. “It is time to be revealed as my wife, my Little Sparrow.”  
With her hand clinging to Severus’s, Honey was led to the office door, which he opened for them to step on out and begin the ‘revealing of the Bride’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is no doubt in my mind that Draco's parents would have informed him of Honey and that the 'Revealing of the Bride' was to be taking place at any day.
> 
> As for this 'game' just felt fitting, as disturbing as it is.


	7. Small Finds, Big Hints

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something finally had to give...

_Chapter Seven  
Small Finds, Big Hints_

 

It was plain as day to see how Honey was not used to being around people. She would sit at Severus’s desk, within the classroom, so he was able to help her with her education in reading and writing. But the students were a distraction for the poor girl, because she just wanted to hide.  
The students were, without a doubt, curious about this girl with flowing white blonde hair and wearing robes of lilac and mint green. But the Potions Master wasn’t having any of it when someone started to ask him questions about her.  
“Just continue with your work, Mr Grindstone,” he tells the fifth year student.  
Like anything and everything that causes excitement for talk and gossip, Honey was the latest one. From the Marriage Law to Professor Snape and his Bride.  
“I would deliberately make sure I don’t get married if it means having a sexy pussy like that!”  
“Snape is a lucky to have a squeeze that resembles a Veela.”  
“Well, I think the Marriage Law is outdated and wrong!”  
“You’re a girl! A free girl at that! Why should it matter to you?”  
“What does that mean?”  
“Means you get to choose what you want to do, even in a marriage, as it’s the rules that were given to the free ones. The Brides of Marriage Law, don’t have that. They have to do everything the husband tells them.”  
The girl walks away with sheer disgust, while the group of boys continued to talk.  
“Don’t forget we have that bet going on, too!”  
“Oh yeah! Hey, Wood! Weasley!”  
Seventh years Oliver Wood and Percy Weasley were heading to their next class, and being both in Gryffindor, they chose to walk together, being that they were headed in the same directions.  
“What do you want, McGraw?” Oliver frowns deeply.  
“You want in on the bet we’ve got going?”  
“What bet would that be?” Percy seemed to already know, because it’s been going about among the fifth, sixth and seventh year boys... even a few girls, how they would love to complete the game ‘Scoring the Bride’.  
“To see if the Potion Master’s little pussy will squirm, for many are curious to know what he does with her. So why not find out by taking her to somewhere quiet?”  
Both Oliver and Percy had the expressions of horror and disgust.  
“You’re all disgusting!” Oliver exclaims.  
“I am taking this to the Headmaster!” Percy informs.  
Severus caught this in passing and stopped to listen, ensuring he wasn’t seen.  
“Who do you think suggested it?” McGraw says.  
Percy shakes his head; “You’re lying! The Headmaster wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen. Not to the students of this school, and certainly not someone who is married to Professor Snape!”  
“Believe what you want Weasley. But it’s fact. Scoring of the Bride is a known tradition since forever! Tests to see how faithful the bitch is. Plus it gives another a good sense of what she must be like in the sack!” said one of the other boys, who wasn’t McGraw.  
Oliver was equally as angered as Percy. “And what do you think Snape would do if anyone dares to touch his wife? As much I hate the term, she is his property! His! No-one else’s! Like with anyone else’s wife, or partner in general, you don’t touch! Why is this Bride any different?”  
“Because she’s fair game! She has to obey, unlike free girls, that little pussy is bound to serve her man, and we learned that, due to changes in the rules, she wouldn’t know any better. She has to just lie there and take the dick on offer... some husband even let it happen.”  
“And what makes you believe Snape would allow that to happen, Tyler?”  
“What he doesn’t know what hurt him? Even more if we curse the girl into silence.”  
At this Severus Snape steps out, his eyes were as dangerous as the expression on his face, glowering at the group of four boys, two Ravenclaw, one Hufflepuff and the last a Gryffindor... not that it mattered, he heard whispers from his own Slytherin House, too.  
“I suggest you two get on to class, I shall wish to speak to you soon,” his voice calm toward Oliver and Percy. “And thank you.”  
Oliver and Percy both acknowledge the Professor and hurry off to where they needed to be. Leaving the group of four at his mercy.  
“Come with me!” Severus ordered.  
“We have to get to class, sir!” said Tyler the Hufflepuff.  
“Yeah... we don’t want to be late!” said McGraw the Ravenclaw.  
Severus’s tone was extremely dangerous and nonnegotiable; “You will come with me! I will write to your teachers explaining your absence!”  
The boys follow the Professor to his office, where Honey was located, working on the task she was given, sitting at his desk. She looked up to the sound of the door opening and saw Severus entering, she smiled, until she saw the four boys who were with him.  
“Severus?” she was confused, looking at them with wary.  
“Take a good look! Remember what you see! Because if a single hair on her head ever comes to harm, I will make that person rues the day they were born! Honey is my wife! No matter the reasons behind it, she is mine! Make sure you make it known that should anyone so much as attempt to carry out the game you’re all placing bets on, that I will have no hesitation in making them suffer. Because that is the difference between those who marry by the Law or not. I have every single fucking right to kill if I wanted to, to ensure my property isn’t violated by the greed and stupidity of those who think they are doing me a favour.  
“I strongly suggest you refresh your memories on what I, the husband of the Bride of the Marriage Law, is entitled to do. Now... I will be informing your Heads of Houses of what I have heard, they will not be at all pleased in knowing that so called promising students have such a disgusting view upon women! Now get the fuck out of my office!”  
The four boys couldn’t scramble out of there fast enough. Severus slams the door, and starts to calm down.  
Honey, who had not seen this side of her husband, was now cowering under the desk. Severus had seen her disappearing under there, and goes over, moves the chair and sits so he could see her.  
She was in tears and shaking.  
“I am sorry you had to see that,” he starts. “It was not my intention to scare you, Little Sparrow. Especially when all I want to do is protect you.”  
He gently went on to explain further, Honey listening to him, until she was willing to crawl out of from under where the legs went in the desk and curls up into Severus’s arms.  
“I love you, my Little Sparrow, and I am sorry I scared you.”  
He hadn’t expected the words to come out. Guess after learning what other’s intentions were... something finally gave out. He didn’t even realise that he would even dare to feel this way, but he did.  
Honey buries her face into the crook of his neck, and tightens her hold around his upper arm. She believed him, she still trusted him, and now she knew just how he really felt, for her body relaxed into him, and continued to allow him to hold her.

###

News of what the Head of Slytherin would do if anyone dared to harm his wife spread very quickly. It was met with mixed reactions, but the message remained. Severus Snape is not in the accustom of tolerating such acts, nor will he ever be.  
Dumbledore had the audacity to make mention that Severus was overreacting, only to be shut down completely by the angered Potions Master.  
“If I find out that the rumours are correct, and you are the one who started the scheme of raping my wife, I will destroy you!”  
“Isn’t what you’re doing to her classed as rape?” Dumbledore calmly inserts.  
“What goes on between your granddaughter and I is none of your concern, old man! If you really gave a care for her welfare, you wouldn’t have put her in such a position in the first place!” Severus snarled, before walking away.  
For the next few days, however, Severus made the point of ensuring Honey stayed safe whenever she was at Hogwarts with him. Particularly whenever she got too curious of the place and wanted to explore.  
She wasn’t overly sure on the idea of an escort, considering she was still overly shy and had trouble interacting with people. But, she knew Severus wasn’t comfortable on letting her be alone within the castle. Things may have died down, but doesn’t mean she wasn’t in any less danger. He also didn’t want to come off as too constricting on her movements.  
She had, however, gotten to know Draco Malfoy a little more, so it was he, who offered to make sure she stayed safe, while looking around, whenever he wasn’t in class, or busy elsewhere, that was.  
However, Honey wasn’t expecting to make certain discoveries during the tour.  
“That’s one of mine!” she exclaims, pointing at a beautifully framed painting of flowers in bloom, with bumblebees, humming birds and butterflies flitting and fluttering about. The colours were complimenting, as were the patterns and fine lines.  
“Yours?” Draco asks.  
“I painted that! Three years ago!”  
Honey then spied something at the corner of her eye and went to look, and to her jaw dropping discovery, saw more and more of the things she had painted, drawn and made riddled throughout the castle.  
This confused the girl greatly.  
Then she saw one painting that she nearly forgotten about... it wasn’t one of hers, but she remembered it... it was of the Hogwarts Crest, bold and proud. Decorated around the framed painting were more of Honey’s creations, paintings and drawings that were of a more smaller scale. All of them were of the four House animals in all their glory and might.  
“I don’t understand,” she then says. “I was always been told that they were destroyed. But why was I told one thing and find this?”  
She was very confused and upset by this. Draco places a careful hand on Honey’s shoulder.  
“Come on, we’ll go and tell Severus what we’ve seen.”

###

“Honey!”  
Honey was screaming in her sleep again.  
“No! No! It hurts! Stop! Please! I’ll be good! Please! Stop! STOP!”  
Severus got her to wake up, where she saw him and immediately flew her arms around him.  
“Memories again?”  
Honey nods.  
This had been the third time during the week for these memories to appear, twice during their stay at Hogwarts, (as they stayed in Severus’s private room, located through a hidden door in his office, something all members of staff have and it forms to their individual tastes and needs), the third just now in their bed in the Master Suite.  
They were back at the Manor, being that Honey had enough of being around people for the time being, and the shock of finding her personal hard work had been, in the best words possible, stolen, as well an incident involving McGraw and Tyler, it just got too much for the poor girl.  
“You were speaking before you woke up,” Severus tells her, pushing Honey’s hair out of her face and behind her ear.  
“I was?”  
“Yes.”  
Honey thought over what had gone through her head and... her lips trembled as it all came flooding back.  
“I don’t know what he did, but he hurt me, Severus! I think he hurt my Mum, too, but I don’t know, it’s all too confusing and I don’t know what to do! I don’t have proof of any of it. He would turn it so I am the making it up!”  
“Who, Honey?”  
Honey looks her husband straight in the eye and said with as much strength she could find; “Grandfather...”

###

It took a good amount of talking and soothing to resettle Honey back down, Severus got her to have Calming Draught and Dreamless Sleep potions, plus one more that would keep the memories at bay when she’s asleep, so it would allow her to rest.  
When she was finally back in the land of nod, Severus found that he couldn’t get back to sleep. He was livid. After Honey said the word ‘Grandfather’, she broke down.  
Once he knew she was well asleep, he slips out of the bed, and goes to his office, grabbing some parchment and ink; sitting at his desk and started to write to the people he knew may help, or at least, get the people who would.  
“We’ll get you the answers you need, Little Sparrow,” he promises, as he started with the words;

_It is time to take down this Marriage Law and the ones involved be brought to justice once and for all. Honey maybe the key to helping in this, but we need to be cautious in the approach._

When Severus was satisfied with what he wrote, he repeated this letter until he had the number he needed. He seals them with the wax-seal containing his new coat of arms; a cobra protecting a sparrow. After, he ensures that only the receiver of these letters can open them, before sending them to where they needed to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, I know, for some reason this one didn't need as much in it, but it is a build up to what is to come.
> 
> Hope you're still enjoying the read xx


	8. Memories Recalled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip down memory lane, where hidden truths come to light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning - physical and sexual violence ahead

_Chapter Eight  
Memories Recalled_

 

Brushing of lips to her temple causes Honey to stir, and slowly open her brilliant blue eyes. She turns her head ever slightly to see Severus sitting on the edge of the bed. She could see that he was already dressed.  
Smart black robes that was lined with royal purple, it wasn’t Honey’s chosen light purple, but after Severus tried to add the colour to his robes, it just didn’t suit him, so he asked her if she was to choose a darker purple, so he could still show that he was very much devoted to her and who she was being part of his family now, what would she have liked. Honey didn’t at all mind this, telling him as much, but was happy the Severus did consider her views, perhaps like she was when adding his colours of black, green and silver to her clothing, she didn’t always wear light blue and light purple, she did enjoy other colours, but being one to make sure they matched, thanks to her eyes for complimentary and pleasing to the eye, she had no trouble in helping Severus to find the purple, or purples, to match his attire.  
“What’s going on?” she could immediately see sense that Severus had done something, she was about to start getting worried, as was her nature.  
Severus knew how to calm her back down before she would even start.  
“It’s okay, Little Sparrow, you’re safe!”  
Those words were all was needed to sooth Honey.  
“Then why are you dressed like that?”  
It was now nearing the end of November. Severus had been working tirelessly with the others to manage this.  
“Do you remember my asking you, a little over a month ago, if you wanted the Law to end? To report what has happened to you? And explaining the plan of how we might be able to do it?”  
“Yes. I said I wanted to do what I can. I remember making sure if you were okay with me doing it,” Honey confirmed.  
“Well, today we may just be able to take that initial step in doing just that. I have managed to organise a meeting with some trusted Ministry members, ones who are very well against the Marriage Law and have been working just as tirelessly, and much longer, to bring it down.  
“The Malfoys will also be there.”  
This bought a beam to Honey’s face.  
Over the time so far, Honey had gotten to really know and enjoy the Malfoys company. Befriending Draco, enjoying that fact she had someone the same age as her to talk to. Yes, she loved Severus, a love that grew once she understood what the feeling was and what it meant, but to have someone outside of her husband, it was a real delight.  
She was not going to forget when Narcissa took her to get well and truly pampered, full body massage; an introduction to waxing, brilliant part is the waxing was done with no pain when the hairs get ripped out of the legs and pits, (drawing the line at the pubic hairs, Honey freaked at the thought of having her bits being waxed); makeup and hair being styled. Honey had never had her hair cut, not completely anyway, the Keepers would trim any split ends and such, but once the girls get to waist or hip length, she is not allowed to have it chopped, so when the opportunity came for Honey to choose whether she would like to lose just some of her hair, she was hesitant at first, thinking Severus would be angry, but instead, when he saw the hair now at chest length on his wife, he was very pleased by it.  
“How does it feel?”  
“I love it, it’s feels heaps lighter,” said Honey, playing with it a little.  
Plus Narcissa admitted that she loved having Honey.  
“Can’t quite do the same with Draco, he’d go for the massage, but good luck trying to get him to try even a good skin lotion for boys!”  
“Mother!” Draco groans.  
So, learning that the Malfoys, (who had been helping in getting this thing sorted, too), will be there helped put Honey at ease just enough.  
“I’ll leave you to get dressed,” said Severus.

###

The location of the where they had to go was, of all places, the Hog’s Head, in Hogsmeade Village.  
“It may not seem the place for such a thing we’re going to conduct, but trust that this is for the best,” said Severus, as he lets Honey in first, before following.  
There was no one here, except for the owner, Honey nearly turned to run at the sight of him, but Severus had already predicted this and stopped her.  
“It’s not him,” he assures.  
“No, sad play of genetics when you’re related to the man you’re wanting to run away from, though, which cannot be helped,” said the owner, who looked very bit like Albus Dumbledore, especially the blue eyes, but his hair was grey and looking like fluffy clouds, as opposed to the cascade of shimmering silver.  
“And you are?”  
“Your Great-Uncle Aberforth, being that I am brother to your grandfather.”  
“I didn’t know I had a great-uncle.”  
Aberforth shook his head. “You probably weren’t even told much growing up, I can assume.”  
Honey shakes her head. “No.”  
“Typical of Albus,” Aberforth’s tone was of contempt for his older brother. Before addressing her and Severus both. “Everyone is here, upstairs. I’ve deliberately kept the bar closed for the day so is to not be disturbed.”  
With that, Severus guided Honey toward the stairs, Aberforth following, and they reached one of the three rooms that could be used for patrons to spend the night in.  
Waiting for them were the Malfoys, minus Draco being still in the castle just a stone’s throw away, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Arthur Weasley and Alastair Moody.  
Unbeknown to the Ministry of Magic, (or the ones who seem completely oblivious), Alastair Moody had never officially retired, he used that as a guise to spend more time and energy in finding ways to break the Marriage Law. Arthur Weasley, well, no-one is going to suspect someone in the lowly position as Head of Misuse of Muggle Artefacts of working undercover to get into places people would think nothing of for him to be in, as it’s seen as ‘doing his job’. As for Kingsley, he’s always been one of the outspoken in being against, but with the Ministry leaders and Wizengamot ignore him, (and any who are with him), because it is believed that nothing can be done, so why should there be a reason for change?  
It wasn’t hard to see the tension between Arthur Weasley and the Malfoys, however, but Severus could see that they were putting this dislike aside for the common goal ahead. One they actually both agree on, so why dwell on the animosity where it isn’t needed right now?  
“Please take a seat, my dear,” Moody spoke in his famous growl.  
If it wasn’t for the Malfoys and Severus being with her, she would have turned and ran, she was alarmed by Moody’s appearance, with his gnarled face and bizarre eye and his mix-matched legs; one being wooden. She hated being rude, really, it’s some people do take her a bit to get a better concept over without wanting to run, especially when she still isn’t used to being around people, no matter how she tries to be.  
Honey took the seat that was offered, it was rather comfortable, being an old armchair. Her heart was pounding and tummy a with butterflies.  
“Has Severus explained to you on the process?” Kingsley asks, as Alastair gets Severus to help him in readying the potions and the golden shallow bowl.  
Honey just nods, her words caught on her tongue.  
Kingsley goes on to explain further; “You will not have to speak with your mouth, the only speaking you may be doing is with the memories that project through this basin. It’s very similar to a Pensieve, only it projects this room with your memories. We will be seeing them from your point of view, meaning through your eyes. You will feel as though you are moving, however, you’re still seated in your chair. It might give off a weird sensation, which is why we’re also adding a mild motion sickness potion just be on the safe side, it doesn’t happen often, but we have had people turn green and chuck up during these things, it’s not pleasant.”  
The golden basin was placed on the table right next to Honey.  
“Just place your hand on the basin, my dear, it’s not going to hurt, I can assure on that,” Moody instructs.  
The surface was rather cool to the touch, as Honey rests her hand upon it. Up from it came three twines, one of gold, one of silver and the other of bronze and they gently went around the girl’s arm, attaching themselves to her, and keeping her hand in place.  
“These keep an eye on your brain, heart and senses, as these will have the sense of ‘reality’ attached to them as you’re reliving them. We may disappear from your sight, as that is the affect of the potions and the Recollection Pensieve, but please know that we’re still here. We are also going to be recording this, through another relative to the Pensieve, the Clarification Bowl.”  
Moody shows of the shallow dish that was made out of marble and silver, being placed by Arthur on the other table.  
“This will beauty cannot be tampered with once it’s been in use. All it needs a single item the people who’ve witnessed this proceeding,” Kingsley informs her. “The Malfoys, Mr Weasley, Moody, myself and Severus have all placed a small object that was on our person when entering the room, we even added Aberforth’s, so that way he, too, is covered if he is called to testify. We just need yours.”  
“But, I don’t have anything on me,” said Honey, confused.  
“What about one of your hair-ties?” Severus suggests.  
Honey’s hand went to her hair, which was tied back into a braid using two hair-ties, one at the top and one at the bottom. She took the one that was at the bottom and placed it into the dish.  
Once it was placed in, the dish swallowed it, and rested with the rest of the contents inside it, she recognised Severus’s silver banded watch being among them.  
“Before we start, we will have to advise that as difficult as this may become, depending on what is going on, we might have the memory continue to play out. It may be very crucial in gaining the elements we need if we’re to take this thing on and having any chance on beating it. So, this is where I am going to ask you, do you wish to proceed with the performing of the Memory Onslaught to help in the investigations we’re conducting against the Marriage Law and charge any who have caused illegal harm as a result?”  
Honey looks over at Severus for a moment, before looking back at Kingsley.  
“I want to do this!” her voice more strong and confident as she had ever felt to be, though deep down, she was terrified.  
Severus steps forward and gave Honey the special made vial that would allow the potions required to be taken at once;  
“One will help bring the memories ahead, starting with your very earliest of memories, I’ve made it so it will stop just before the thirteenth of September of this year,” he explains.  
Honey understood why, no one needed to see that.  
“The second will unblock and eradicate any spells and charms that may have caused you be unable to access the details that you’ve been trying to make sense of within the memories. The third is a form of Veritasium, it helps to keep the truth, anything that had been blocking it, be it yourself, or other influences, and has no power against it, so it’s the truth and nothing but the truth. The fourth is the mild motion sickness potion. The last is in connection to the Recollection Pensieve, where what you see, we see.”  
Honey had been told of the potions she would be taking, but it was reassuring coming from Severus nonetheless of what they were and what they did.  
“Ready?” Severus asks.  
Honey took the vial and after a moment to braise herself, took the concoction, making a face in doing so.  
“Horrid aftertaste!” she exclaims.  
“Unfortunately if I tried to change it, the effects would be extremely different,” says Severus, part apologetic, part amused.  
Honey was about to ask how long they would take start, only to see her vision being taken over by a darkening that crept in around from the outer and inward, until she was momentarily seeing nothing, or felt like nothing.

###

_First she saw herself surrounded in tight warmth, she could hear the soft thumping sounds, the whooshing noises going all over the place, even this tone of inaudible, soothing whenever she heard it. She was comfortable, safe, and secure._  
Honey certainly didn’t remember this, but clearly it was a memory.  
_Next thing she knew she heard this inaudible tone starting to become distressed, something happened, pain struck. Honey felt this sudden burst and it prompted something within her to do something before she was even ready to... before she knew it she was cold and not liking this change, she wanted to be back where it was warm and safe... only be warm and safe again, but in a different way from before._  
_She turns her newly opened eyes to see this face, the face she had seen in and out of her memory until she was no longer there; her mother._  
Her mother was sad, yet happy. Her grey eyes blinking the tears that were threatening and a little smile.  
“I don’t care what he says, you’re name is Sparrow to me, my little one. Our time will be cut before you will truly remember me, but know that I love you, despite how you came to be.”  
_Just then the woman looks up away from Honey and her joy turns to one of fear._  
“So, you’ve had the daughter, whom I’ve implanted in you to bear for me?”  
“The one you nearly killed because of your impatience!” Honey’s mother fires.  
Though Honey couldn’t see the person who bore the frightening voice, she would hear it again... and again...  
“Be lucky you are holding my Heir and continuum of my bloodline, or you would have paid for your insolence. Also be grateful that you are needed to ensure she is fed, unless your breasts are unable to do the job, then I will find someone who can, as you were only needed for her.  
_“I am also to require you to sign these, I have filled in what I am o being the father, and eventual Male Guardian when she is to be taken to the Boarding House.”_  
“Boarding House? No! My family will destroy you if you hurt one of their blood!”  
The man sounded so cocky and assured; “Which is why they will never know, just like they never knew you were legally wedded to me, and eventually pregnant with my legally bounded child. You know my power, Kynthia, don’t think I won’t do what must be done.”  
The memory faded.  
It is possible that Honey may have only ‘remembered’ was because it was her first real memory of being born. But she didn’t know. Honey’s memory had always been sharp, even from a very early age. Was it possible for her to remember herself being in her mother’s womb and what had happened after? If it had come forth just now... then perhaps so.  
Flitters of other memories come and go, ones of joy with her mother, she was really loved by her. She did whatever she could to protect her ‘Sparrow’ from her father, the tall and thin man with auburn hair and brilliant blue eyes, but she had seen him once... just once as the old man with a long silver beard and half-moon spectacles, before changing into the younger man upon entry of their little ‘home’, which is where he kept Honey and her mother locked away.  
The man had no remorse in the things he did to Honey’s mother, the pain he put her through... all in front of Honey, including rape, before changing into this ‘sweet man’ for his ‘Honey bee’. Honey was always confused by this. Why was her Dada always hurting Mumma? She hated her Mumma being hurt by Dada, she would even ‘hit’ Dada, but this was always met with her being backhanded, and her tiny body falling backwards, by this point ‘Dada’ would be soothing and comforting the scared and crying girl.  
“You are my Heir and you will learn to behave and submit to your fate,” he would say to her.  
Then the memory of her going down the hallway came to light. She was toddling down it, she could hear her mother, and she was upset, crying and screaming. Honey wanted her mother, so she went to her. She reaches the doorway and sees with horror as Dada was brutally raping her, before forcing a large thing of liquid down her Mumma’s throat, which silenced the woman, allowing him to continue with his nasty deed. But he was stopped by the cries of Honey, standing at the doorway.  
_He climbs off of Honey’s mother and the bed and goes to pick up Honey, Honey tries to run away, but he was too fast for her. He takes her down the hallway and just places her in her cot, where she stayed for a long, long time, she didn’t even know how long, but she was crying and wanting her Mumma._  
She is then seeing herself with her Dada, he was now fully clothed and carrying her, with no expression on his face.  
_“This is for your own good, Honey,” he kept saying. “You will understand when you’re older... you’re my Heir and continuum of my bloodline and you are needed to secure the one bloodline that will match to ours, even more having the Malfoy bloodline mixed with mine to ensure good genes.”_  
Again, how is she even remembering this? Honey was utterly confused, she knew that the potions were doing what they were meant to, as she was told, yet... who knew that these were all buried in her subconscious memory? She wasn’t sure if these had been blocked, or she was just too little to get the comprehension, but here it was once again, something that was truth to what she had seen and heard... even smelt and felt, as she remembered the smell of sherbet lemon, how she hated that smell! Even to this day, the thought of sherbet lemon made her scrunch up her nose, it was the only thing that had lemon that she detested, everything else, such as lemon cheesecake and fresh lemon, was fine.  
_Honey is then given over to the Head Keeper._  
“You know what to do,” her Dada says.  
“We will not disappoint, Albus.”  
That was when the Hell on Earth truly started for Honey. If she wasn’t in the fire pits before, she was now.  
The memories of her being locked away for trying to learn how to read. For speaking up for herself, or for someone else. Smacked with bamboo switches and threatened. But she was also buttered up when she ‘did the right things’, such as doing what she was told without complaint. Anything and everything was remembered, even the ones she thought she had forgotten.  
_She would be visited by ‘Grandfather’ and given treats... until... it was her tenth birthday. The day she received her chastity belt. Honey knew of these belts because it was seen as this weird badge of honour to the Brides to be, because it meant that they were seen as Untainted and they were eligible for marriage once she sheds her first blood._  
_“What is first blood?” Honey remembers asking a year before._  
“Oh... um...” the girls had learned very fast that they weren’t allowed to tell Honey anything, or they would be in trouble for ‘educating her on what she should either already know, or shouldn’t know because her Male Guardian said no’.  
Honey did eventually find out what first blood meant, but... she didn’t know anything else, most of everything she had learned about the subjects she was denied to learn was after she had met Severus.  
_She didn’t understand... why Grandfather not want her to know anything... or rather... her father..._  
For she was taken to the room by the Keepers, where her ‘Grandfather’ was waiting for her. In this room was a single bed and no place for escape, except the door, which was locked once he had nodded for the Keepers to leave and closing it.  
“Strip!” he ordered.  
_“What?” Honey questioned with confusion._  
“I want to see it! I want to see that you’ve made eligibility.”  
Honey shakes her head. “No Grandfather!”  
He gives her a stern, piercing stare, one she remembered from a long time ago, and before her very eyes, he changed to...  
“Dada?”  
_“It is time you learned the truth, though your memory will be modified so you won’t remember, plus there is a failsafe device inside you to ensure that when your memories start to come back to you... you won’t be alive to say a word. Unless you become pregnant, and then your memories would of this conversation and any others about me and the truth and be purged from you in a miscarriage... yes, I am very, very aware of your excellent and uncanny ability to remember things, my dear daughter._  
_“Seeming that you are not the only girl to have displayed such talent, so each of you were implanted with a way so that myself, Cornelius Fudge, Ivan Montague and a few others, who are working to ensure that girls are not only supplied for the Marriage Law, but the bonds between certain families are met.”_  
Honey remained silent, she wanted to get out of this room.  
_“Your real name is Sparrow Pandora Dumbledore, I sired you with your mother Kynthia Electra Malfoy, whom I married without anyone being the wiser of what had gone on. Your mother, despite of her House, was a pretty little thing and I knew she was the one I needed to carry out what needed to be done.”_  
“Why are you telling me this?” Honey asks, now backed into a corner, as her ‘father’ goes over to her.  
_“Because be you alive or dead after your marriage to Severus Snape, the families will be united under the Laws of Unity and the Marriage Law will make sure that Severus, with his Prince heritage and wealth will bow to me when the time comes for him to be at my side and do as I command when the next war arises._  
“And another war will come, my daughter... and Severus will have no choice but to follow my orders. As you are my only legitimate child and daughter to pull this off, for you’re the only one I’ve allowed to live, for I couldn’t have little bastards running around and ruining anything.”  
_Dumbledore, with his young appearance, was now down on Honey’s level._  
“Now! I want to make sure your belt works the way it’s meant to! Strip! Or I will!”  
Honey was in tears and shaking her head. “No!”  
Dumbledore wasn’t having it, he grabs the girl and forces her to the bed, before ripping her clothing, until she was bare naked, with only the chastity belt to be worn. Honey struggled and screamed, as she watched him strip until he was completely naked. Oh, he knew he wouldn’t be able to penetrate through the fabric, but he knew what it would do to Honey when he tried. __  
_“Stop! Please! It hurts! It hurts! Grandfather, stop!”_  
_But he didn’t let her go, until he released his hot sticky over her thighs and belt. He pulls away, and Honey curls into a ball, whimpering and in pain. The belt had felt like she was on fire, with razors going through every fibre of her being from her ‘Grandfather’s... father’s’ attack upon her._  
The last thing she sees is Dumbledore pulling his wand out and the memory... that was until it became scattered and disarrayed where she couldn’t make head or tails of what she had just lived through... that was until the potions did their job and it all played out.  
_The next couple of years after that was something of a blur for her, but anytime she looked as though she was on the verge of remembering something, anything... she forced to endure pain, laced with a false sense of security before she felt the blow, forcing the threatening memories to go back down and bury themselves once more._  
The final memory was of the day before she was to marry Severus Snape, which all she remembered as just sitting alone in a room, crying and thinking her life was going to be over.

__###_ _

___Honey buried her face with her hands, (the one that was in the Recollection Pensieve had been released within seconds of the last memory) and it all came flooding up and out, the tears, the now remembered pain, everything._  
She felt someone gently placing their hands on her upper arms. Honey didn’t have to look to know who it was, for she just threw her arms around him and held tightly, as she sobbed into his chest. He held her firmly to him and spoke whispered words to start the process of soothing and calming her down.  
Severus had watched it all, from when she was forced out of her mother’s womb to witnessing Albus Dumbledore, her father, not grandfather, carrying out the atrocities he had toward Kynthia and upon Honey. The most damning wasn’t just what Dumbledore had done to Kynthia, but what he did to Honey, by using her own chastity belt against her to inflict the pain he did, because he wanted to ‘make sure it worked’.  
Honey had been gas lighted, led to believe so many things, including what had become of her creations, which was all a lie as they were all, every single one of them, scattered within the castle and its grounds. She had been abused and it came to light that she had been used.  
Severus remained as calm as he could muster, he had seen Lucius nearly break when he witnessed Kynthia, is younger sister, going through what she had, at least what Honey had witnessed, no doubt more there were the times outside of Honey’s vision.  
“Did you get what you needed?” Severus asks Moody, Kingsley and Arthur.  
“More than we had bargained for,” Kingsley’s voice one of mixed tone, respectful, worried, caring and also thankful.  
“We will talk more of what else is needed to be done later,” Moody adds, he turns to Honey, who hadn’t unburied her face from Severus’s chest. “But right now, Honey is going to need some much needed rest, and we will be recommending a mind healer to help her cope with the traumas she’s undoubtedly faced.”  
“We are also going to go into any legal documents that are going to help build this case,” says Kingsley. “There a fair amount of details Albus Dumbledore had overlooked or ignored, with many of them going into your favour.”  
Moody then takes his turn to speak; “Until then, it’s best to get Honey home, we will be drawing up a restraining order so Albus Dumbledore and whoever else was named cannot approach you, or contact you. Severus, I know you work at the school, but you’re on leave emergency paid effective immediately.  
“It is safer for you and your wife at this point. If anyone wants to stick their noses in, just tell them you’re going on holiday or something, and it’s only a week and a bit before the school holidays start anyway, so why not call it early?”  
“I would strongly recommend that you do take her somewhere else for a while,” Narcissa speaks, Lucius was still in shock. “I know you wish for her to see mind-healers, and I agree, but she needs to be away from here, recover elsewhere.”  
“Where do you suggest I take her?” Severus asks.  
“We have a few properties that we own in different locations around the world, we can send you the ones we suggest for Honey’s state of mind.”  
The look Severus saw in Narcissa’s face, she was beyond upset with what had been discovered, but she had already accepted that Honey as family, and even if she wasn’t, she had grown fond very fond of the girl and wanted to protect her.  
“Thank you, Narcissa.”  
“We’ve set this Portkey up so you can go directly home from here,” Arthur said, presenting a bag and opening it reveal a candlestick.  
Both Severus and Honey took the Portkey, which transported them to one of the gardens of Snape Manor.  
Severus gets Honey to look at him.  
“What you did was brave, and you ought to be proud of yourself for taking the steps you had, just like I am proud of you. Also, know that you are not alone in this, you have support and you have a family who will back you, even more now that they know who you are, and when a Malfoy learns of someone being of blood, they rarely ever turn their back on that, they bring them into the fold.  
“You also have me. I will never leave your side, my Little Sparrow, for as long as you need and want me. We will get through this, for this is just the very start of what will be a challenging road ahead. I love you, and I will forever support you.”  
“I love you, too, Severus,” Honey replies, before reburying her face into him.  
It was the first time Severus had heard her utter those words. He had sensed her feelings had been growing, but he never pushed her, even with her knowing his own feelings toward her, (which again was never pushed and forced).  
Her voice with in truth, some of the effects of the Veritasium would have been in the still going in her veins. Severus didn’t know how long she felt this way, but now he knew. He just holds her firm and strong and keeps her to him for as long as she needed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took many breaks in between writing this chapter, especially after the memory phase.


	9. Lady Karma 1 Albus Dumbledore 0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karma is about to start a knockin' on people's doors and some are not going to be happy with what they receive...

Chapter Nine  
Lady Karma 1 Albus Dumbledore 0

 

Dumbledore read the letter and written contract that explained Severus Snape had taken leave, also the restraining order that had been put in place. He couldn’t understand it, why would his Heir turn on him so? Did he not warn her to not go against him?  
But then again, she wasn’t supposed to live, her duty to sealing Severus Snape to the Dumbledore name in unity had been complete the night she spread her legs and, like the dutiful man Severus was to such order, took his claim. Dumbledore knew full well that there wasn’t a chance in Merlin’s Hell that Honey would have become pregnant straight away, such things on newly broken virginity is very rare. Plus being thirteen, even more impossible to achieve. Yet, he also added the failsafe of ensuring that if on the off chance she did get pregnant, her memories would be sucked into the embryo, along with the potion that would have been triggered by Severus’s searching semen, and kill the developing clump of cells.  
He had it all worked out. So when he learned of Honey surviving and also how protective Severus was of his young Bride, Dumbledore started to try and find new ways to keep in control of the situation.  
It was he who set McGraw and Tyler on to the vulnerable ‘Mrs Snape’, they had clobbered Draco Malfoy to try and knock him out and force Honey to a secluded area, where they attempted to assault her. Tyler managing to force his tongue into her mouth, while helping McGraw open her legs up as wide as they could go, where he ripped her knickers away and slams his fingers inside of her, causing her to squirm and squeal. She didn’t like it at all, this wasn’t gentle like Severus! Severus was always delicate with her with his touch, but McGraw wanted to hear her unwilling sounds.  
When McGraw was satisfied, he moved over so Tyler could have his go, the sixth year was undoing his pants, he wasn’t interested in having her feel his fingers, he wanted her to feel his cock. He was close, she felt the brushing of the tip of Tyler’s head, until... she saw the outline of a black wearing figure coming up from behind and into view.  
Tyler was grabbed by the shoulder yanked away, hard, and spun to face the glaring eyes of Severus Snape. The expression was very, very ugly, as the Potions Master grabbed Tyler by the throat with one very tight hand and squeezed, hard. McGraw tried to run, but Severus had his wand out, and froze the boy on the spot, before bringing the wand toward the level of Tyler’s still exposed penis... let’s just say Roan Tyler won’t be siring any children after what Severus had done to him. McGraw was still going to be able to sire children, but he wouldn’t be able to have any luck getting a girl, because of the curse Severus had placed on him, where the girl he fancies will see exactly what he has done in the past.  
Honey was not the only one he’s harmed, now, they will know before accepting any dates with him; so to add extra insult to injury, Severus made sure that both McGraw and Tyler were not able to touch a girl, or woman, ever again, no matter the age of the female. Not even their own mothers.  
When Dumbledore tried to have Severus disciplined for his actions, he was disappointed to find that because both boys were seventeen, (didn’t matter if they were sixth years, for anyone knows that plenty turn seventeen during the first month or so of coming back for the new year), that Severus was well within his rights, as a husband and owner of Honey, to protect his property and wife as he saw fit to do so. Castrating Tyler and doing whatever to McGraw, was perfectly justified according to Moody.  
“Not even the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, can disagree, as it was written within the Law.”  
So another attempt to silence Honey was thwarted.  
Now this... a restraining order...  
Then, before he knew what was going on, magic cuffs appeared on Dumbledore’s wrists, rendering him unable to use magic of any sorts, nor was he able to retrieve his wand.  
A sudden boom of a voice came the voice of Alastair Moody;  
“The People of the Wizengamot have placed the following under arrest and to be sent straight to the Cells of Reckoning to be held until trail against the Marriage Law and the persons responsible for the kidnappings, rapes, assaults and murders of young girls.” Moody paused for a moment before reading out the string of names who’ve been placed with the magic cuffs, unable to move from the location they were sitting or standing in; he started with Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, and made sure it truly rang into the ears of those who thought the man was wonderful, some out of no fault of their own, Dumbledore had that charisma about him that made people believe what he did, (those who’ve never seen beneath the mask), to be for the better good and worth listening to.  
As Moody read out each and every name, (and not just the ones Honey named within her memory, but others he and his team have managed to find connections in regard to the operation, the more shocked and disgusted many of the people were on just how deep the whole Marriage Law and its organisers had gone to ensure it was kept alive and the lengths they’ve gone to do it.  
Professor Minerva McGonagall had entered the Head Office, her stature strong and firm, face laced with disappointment, dismay and duty, while her eyes wished they could just strike the man down from where he sat at the large desk.  
Her voice was trembling a little, but extremely unyielding. “You have been relieved of your duty as Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, you are no longer seen as fit for the position in order to run this school without endangering any other lives, be they staff or student, or even visitor.  
“I have now been given the title of Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and I hereby order you to leave not only this office, but the school entirely, you are no longer allowed to set foot within the grounds, not even where the magic protection line starts within the Forbidden Forest.  
“I am ashamed to have once called you friend, mentor and confidant, Albus Dumbledore. Because of that, I further the spells to ensure that you are to no longer be in contact with the teachers and students of this school, unless they themselves wish to have that contact with you. My duty of care with for this school and the lives within it, just as it always has been, and I will do everything possible to make sure it stays that way; which makes me wonder what you’ve done to this castle and its own powers within to use for your own gains.  
“We shall soon find out, I am sure.  
“Now... get out!”  
Before Dumbledore could speak a single word, he disappeared from the seat he once held in high esteem, and found himself within a single six-by-eight cell that had stark white walls and a floor to ceiling glass panel instead of bars. Only a single concrete bed and a steel toilet and basin, behind a little wall, where he could still be seen if he was sitting on it, was in here.  
“Get as comfortable as you can, Albus,” scowled the voice of his old friend.  
Dumbledore turned to see Moody and Kingsley.  
“You and your crew will be staying here for a while,” Kingsley informs him. “Your powers are rendered useless within this facility, only those who’ve got clearance and authority to be here have such privilege and right.”  
To make a point, Moody waves his wand and a little window opens, allowing him to slide two rolled up parchments through it, before sealing it up again.  
“You have some reading to do, Albus. Your first meal here will be brought to you in time, but you won’t even know what time of the day or night it is in here... you will soon find out what these cells are for. Have a good day, Albus, be seeing you soon.”  
Dumbledore watched Kingsley and Moody depart away to the side where he could see them. The cell was made so he couldn’t see around the sides, only dead ahead to the white brick wall.  
Sighing, he picks up the scrolls, sits down and goes to unravel the first one. He couldn’t believe what he was reading, then he opened the other one.  
To him this was a kick to the guts!  
They had found the documentations in referral to Honey’s birth... or rather Sparrow’s birth... and her legal claim to everything under the Dumbledore name, being his one true Heir, skipping over Aberforth, who would have been next in line for the fortune and rights that belonged to the Dumbledore name if Albus hadn’t of sired the child via Kynthia Dumbledore, (nee Malfoy), whom he had, indeed, legally married.  
The legal age of a girl to be wed was thirteen, at least at the time before it was changed to seventeen, with the exception of Brides of the Marriage Law, three years later. One year after Kynthia had been found overdosed on sleeping drought and in a bathtub, wearing a single gold band on her left ring finger, only they had no idea whom she had been married to at the time, for such things as paperwork kept getting buried.  
Because Dumbledore’s alleged crimes and being stripped of his titles and claims, Honey/Sparrow inherited everything. But that was not all... because of a certain Marriage Law, which is still in place, when the husband places his seal of ownership upon his wife on the night of their union, everything Honey/Sparrow comes into claim, automatically goes to the husband to join with his possessions, whatever they may be.  
The horror in Dumbledore’s brilliant blue eyes were clear as day as he stared at the words. He had lost everything, from his collections of rare books to his money, but most gut-wrenching to him of all, was that he had lost his Elder Wand... to Severus Snape, if not to Severus, then to the girl he sired, Sparrow Pandora Snape (nee Dumbledore), to which she legally changed over to after learning that was her birth name, instead of Honey Michelle.  
What was to happen now? Dumbledore didn’t even have an answer to that.  
Nor did any of the rest of the men and women who were in identical cells about the prison, known as Hades Tomb...

###

“Whoa!” Sparrow’s jaw drops at the sight as she and Severus reached their destination.  
Even Severus had to be impressed.  
They had reached an island, privately owned by the Malfoy family and only allowed to be entered via invitation. It was designed like a real resort, with beachside bar, pools, entertainment areas, the villas were rich with choices, depending on the purpose and need. Caterers of both human and House Elf resided here.  
Severus recognised a few of the ‘human’ servants, they were under a forever compulsion charm, he could see the pendants around the necks or arms or even ankles of the captives, the chain was deeply embedded in the skin where there was no chance of removing it.  
He knew that these people were sentenced to this life of servitude due to reasons such as paying off debts to be caught of some other crime that was against the family that was Malfoy... among other families.  
Even Severus’s own Prince line once had such servants, he let them go when he inherited them because he saw no use for them. But he knew that if he had to invoke his power of the Prince house... and now the Dumbledore house... he had the right to. Such people as this weren’t bad people, they just got into deep, deep trouble where they just couldn’t get out of it, until they were given this lifeline. That is what it was.  
The charm was to ensure they served when they were told, within reason – there were strong rules when it came to the Debt Servants and if any try to go against them will find themselves in really hot water.  
Sparrow, (oh how she was still trying to get used to her real name), learned of this during her pamper session with Narcissa. The ‘Debt Servants’ weren’t mindless, they were able to hold conversation and speak views and whatever else, they just weren’t able to get out of their compulsion charm until the debt, or community service time, was over. The Debt Servants come from all walks of life and shows how such things don’t discriminate.  
Upon arrival they were greeted by one of the Debt Servants, Charles, who showed them around.  
“There are many things that the Malfoys are willing to let you in on whilst you are here, but you are not to speak of them outside of this island,” said Charles. “Those who have finished their time get their memory wiped and cleared of it.”  
Severus could see why when he saw the theatre room, the bowling alley, the big screen that one could watch whilst relaxing in or by the pool, under the stars. He was highly amused when he saw the three different game consoles, Super Nintendo, PlayStation 2 and Xbox, no doubt a certain Draco Malfoy had been playing them.  
“Did we arrive an amusement park, or something?” he couldn’t help asking.  
The pristine tropical gardens, the choice of bars, even a restaurant.  
“Do the Malfoys hire this out or something?” Severus asks as well.  
“They do actually,” Charles answers with a kind smile. “Only to people they know they can trust to keep quiet, plus the occasional Muggles to enjoy, they’re just going to be any the wiser that they’re surrounded by magic, that is all. Plus, as you know, it is on invite only and only extends until the end of the duration of the stay.”  
“Sounds fair enough,” Severus comments.  
Sparrow was naturally quiet, taking in the sights around her with wonder and, he could see her relaxing, which pleased him. After the memory recall, Sparrow had spent two whole days in the Master Suite, only moving to go to the bathroom, it was like she was in this daze. She would come back out, the cartoons and being able to do her art was a massive help, as well as calming drought and dreamless sleep whenever she needed it. She was determined to not be dependent on the potions, but at times, it was simply a help.  
When the Malfoys suggested their Island that was located on the Pacific Ocean, Severus could automatically see why. (As well as summing up why they had the place all the way on the other side of the world and kept under wraps).  
“This is the room you’ll be staying in,” Charles spoke.  
Open and breezy, with a view of the beach and ocean from the window.  
The bed wasn’t four-poster like their back at Snape Manor, but it was big! Facing the window, so whomever was sleeping on it could wake up the view every morning. Even the bathroom was simple and spacious.  
“I will leave you to your own devices. Should you require anything, do not hesitate to buzz, ring or call, as you have seen in various locations. There is also a list of the things you can do, and what we can do during your stay. We can even provide a menu if you wish, but really, the world is your oyster here, we’re just here to serve.”  
“Thank you, Charles,” Severus says, dismissing the Debt Servant.  
Charles gives a quick bow of the head before turning and leaving.  
Sparrow was already testing out the bed.  
“It’s like the one at home!” she comments, lying flat on her back, longways, where her knees was over the edge.  
“Is that a good thing?”  
“Oh yeah, it’s a really good thing.”  
Severus took off his travel coat, suddenly realising the heat, discarding it on a nearby chair. Sparrow had already taking her cloak off and when Charles had left took her clothes off until she was only in her underwear and bra, as they were thick layered after coming from blistering cold weather... the Malfoys did tell them they weren’t going to need to be in them for long.  
“What would you to do?” he asks her, unbuttoning the top of his robes to start getting that off.  
“Watching you take your clothes off is pretty entertaining right now,” Sparrow teased.  
Over the time Sparrow had, slowly, become more confident when it came to the comfort she had in Severus and being very intimate with him.  
A just as teasing smile was on Severus lips as he kept unbuttoning his clothes and started to go over to her. By the time he reaches her, he was, too, was only in his underwear. Sparrow had sat up by then and when he was right in front of her, she didn’t hesitate in taking the sides of Severus’s jocks and pulling them until they were low enough for her to gain access to what she wanted.  
Severus didn’t stop her as she began to entice him with her tongue. She hadn’t done this before, he knew, carefully gets her to stop for a moment, so he could lower on to the bed for his own comfort and guided his Little Sparrow to where she had him wriggle a little and moan. His hands continuing to guide and help her, until she suddenly pulled away, the salted taste had started squirting in her mouth, taking her by surprise, the rest of Severus’s cum going wherever it shot out, including a bit on Sparrow’s face, which she wiped off with the back of her hand.  
With a small chuckle, Severus coaxes Sparrow to come back up to him and began kissing her face and neck... even her mouth, not caring about the taste of his own semen, as he rolls her on to her back and started bringing his lips down, down, down, until they reached where he wanted to go. Now it was his turn. Again this was new to his young wife, so like he did with the times before, he started gently and slow, and bit by bit building it up, until he could taste her juices, he had hardened again during this, and pulls away to move up to be level with Sparrow and quickly slide himself inside of her.  
It did take her by surprise in this sudden course of action, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t take long to cum once more.  
“How are you feeling, Little Sparrow?” he asks her.  
“Like I’m in Heaven,” she replies, before moving to kiss him deep in the lips.  
For the first time, even with everything still to come, she truly felt free. Free to be who she was, free to be with whom she wanted to be with, (one of them being with Severus, who took her into his protective coils and showed her to use her wings), and free from the chains that once held her down.  
Free to just be...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I threw a little fluff in... and re-wrote the Malfoys a little... meh!


	10. Freedom and... not so free...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little rest and relaxation that has been well overdue.
> 
> Plus the Aurors get an insight of Dumbledore's mind that are just too unbearable to share until it is truly necessary...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Upon learning her real name, Honey had changed to her birth name 'Sparrow', so from now and into the rest of the story, she is legally known as Sparrow Pandora Snape.  
> (Pandora was Dumbledore's idea...>_>)

Chapter Ten  
Freedom and... Not so Free...

 

Something had sparked inside of Sparrow since she made her move on Severus within the first hour of them being on the island that led to their love making.  
Severus sensed this awakening within her, and carefully allowed her to explore this new sensation that had come over her. She was still his shy and sweet natured little Sparrow, but since the Marriage Law being in suspension, which they were informed of just before sundown, the chains had come off, meaning that she wasn’t ‘owned’ by anyone, not even Severus, her husband, though he still by technicality did until it was official, this slightly more confident Sparrow came out.  
She was also officially no longer under the false name Honey Michelle, which might have been part of the ruse to keep her submissive and compliant, like it was a name for that sole purpose of being under her father’s ruling, even with her being married to Severus Snape – someone Albus Dumbledore chose himself for her to wed, ironically.  
When the Marriage Law was frozen, even if it was only temporary at this point in time, it meant that the Brides had the choice under this suspension of the Law to stay with their husbands or leave the marriage – those who do decide to leave will be given protection and be set up with accounts and whatever else in their own name! If they wish to change their name, they had permission to do so, especially if they feared their husbands of ever finding them for leaving in the first place – and they did predict a good number of them, for whatever charms and spells and even potions, if any were ever used, would be completely wiped from the system under this Law, because it was in connection to the ‘ownership rule’, which had also been lifted with the hold. Divorce was effective immediately; even if the demolishing of the Marriage Law failed, those marriages cannot be renewed, leaving the girls and women free from the abuse they had no doubt endured.  
Girls who were yet to be married off no longer had to face this forced union. Instead, they were taken to safe houses, and one at a time examined, to see if any had the ‘Bridal’s Silent Killer’ as the Healers who’ve been working just as tirelessly with Moody and the rest to investigate and keep building the case.  
However, there were also the choice to stay. Sparrow being one of them, knowing that she would still be legally married to Severus, the Marriage Law, so it was discovered after so much digging around, was drawn that even if Laws were to change on the ‘legal age’ for the ‘free girls’ the Brides of the Marriage Law are still tied to the contract, and should it be abolished, (though good luck in trying, it says), any Marriage that had taken place before it was ceased still remained, and even those who are on the side of going against the Law couldn’t change that even if they wanted to, and some girls, like Sparrow, genuinely didn’t want to leave, so why force and condemn them for willingly choosing to?  
Plus the change in the age became legally seventeen only a generation ago, and the Marriage Law was still in practice. Many things to keep and take into account.  
Severus had a feeling when Sparrow felt herself in this euphoria of bliss, she just wasn’t feeling it from his physical love for her, but his genuine emotional, spiritual and even mental love for her, and it was something she, of her own free will and truth, was able to return without question. It was as though, even more the news came to them, she knew something wonderful had happened, for her body language, though still the same girl Severus married, changed, just a little.  
He did ask her why she wished to stay with him, knowing she had never once had a reason to be dishonest with him, nor he to her.  
“You allowed me to be me. Even on our first night, when you sealed your ownership upon me, as was the law, you still helped me to see that I was allowed to feel the way I did. You gave me a reason to believe that I can genuinely trust people, I knew they were there, it just took between losing my mother and meeting you for the first time before we were to be wedded to find someone who was willing to give me a chance.  
“You taught me more than I ever thought possible, and when you couldn’t, you found someone who could. You allowed me to understand what real love is; that there are no strings attached.”  
Sparrow was looking at Severus right in the eye as she spoke those words, clearly and with no faltering, perhaps a little broken near the end, but he understood that it was her real emotions coming through.  
Then she adds; “You became something I didn’t know would ever happen, even though I had him, and before I knew what I know now.” Sparrow refused to call that man she once knew as ‘grandfather’ or even ‘father’, it was still too painful for her to speak.  
“What is that?”  
“Family. You became my family, Severus.”  
Severus felt his heart do a hop, skip and a jump with warmth when he heard Sparrow confirm what he already knew. He waited for her to come to those terms in her own time.  
He pulls her into his arms and holds her against his still naked body, kissing the top of her head and forehead. She rests her head upon him and gently touches Severus’s wedding ring, examining it with care.  
“And I am glad you became my family, too, Little Sparrow,” he says.

###

Dumbledore’s mind was going into a numb. There was nothing, nothing to stimulate his thinking, for all around was nothing but white, except for the silver of the toilet and basin. Time had stood still for the old man, for he couldn’t tell whether it was day or night. There were no windows, except for the panel to see whomever was standing on the other side of it and speak to them if they wanted to speak. There were vents, but made so small and impossible for any chance of escape.  
He was afraid to go to sleep, he was afraid to allow his mind to wonder off, though the stark blankness made that impossible to do.  
In his dreams and, if he was ever able, daydreams, he was bombarded by his past. His misdeeds and more. His memories had been, in his opinion, violated, for when Aurors came, they forced him to undergo the Recollection Pensieve, with the Clarification Bowl to record it all.  
What was revealed, it was far worse than they could have imagined. Worse than Ivan Montague, quadruple worse than the likes of Nigel McGraw, (father of the expelled Ravenclaw student, Colin McGraw, whom Severus Snape cursed and McGonagall eventually had to throw out because of his turning to harassing the boys... now that girls are off the market for him), former Keeper and Head of the Pure Innocence Boarding House, Corinne O’Dea and her second in charge Peggy Bedford.  
The horrors Dumbledore had committed, the cover ups, everything, exposed and recorded and sealed up unable to be touched until it enters the court room for the trail.  
“May Merlin’s ghost have mercy on your soul, Albus Dumbledore,” Moody sneered, before spitting at the Dumbledore’s feet, showing how any and all respect he once had, and even though there was a chance of a sliver of possibility of the man he, like many others, called friend, being redeemable, had all but disappeared.

###

Severus went looking for Sparrow when he woke up the next morning, as he woke to find her not in the bed. He found her sitting by the pool that was the closest to their room, enjoying breakfast and practicing the reading and writing tasks she had been giving to improve her skills, and she had gotten more and more better, going in leaps and bounds.  
She feels his hands on her shoulders and a soft kiss on her cheek.  
“Good morning.”  
“Mmm, good morning,” she replies.  
“You’re improving in your spelling,” Severus points out, sitting beside her and pinching one of the cherries that were on her plate.  
“I am still having trouble remembering certain words, though,” Sparrow replies.  
“Don’t pressure yourself too hard,” he tells her, taking her hand. “I can tell you that your spelling is much better than some of assignments I’ve had to read and mark.”  
“Yet the sentence structure is probably heaps better though,” Sparrow comments.  
“Depends on whose work I am trying to read,” Severus smiles. “Mind boggling how some can’t seem to remember punctuation, or the correct use of words. Minus the ones who genuinely have trouble reading and writing for one reason or another, they do get extra guidance from their Head of Houses and other staff on board, not that the Headmaster was of much help in aiding those who needed it.”  
“I take it anything that didn’t seem fit for his views and schemes wasn’t something of a priority,” says Sparrow.  
Both knew that trying to avoid certain facts was not going to be possible, but not using actual names... well... that helps whenever the subject of Albus Dumbledore ever came up. Sparrow may have accepted that he was her father, but it didn’t mean she was willing to fully address what she had witnessed and learned yet.  
“After looking back over certain events, I don’t think so,” said Severus. “But I do not think we need to talk about that right now, what would you like to do today?”  
“I don’t know. Too many choices.”  
“I’m sure we’ll find something to do.”  
It did take a little while to find things to fill their time with. Including Sparrow convincing Severus try the PlayStation 2.  
“What the...? Fly you bastard!” Severus exclaims at the screen, while Sparrow was laughing her head off at Severus’s attempts to get Spyro the Dragon to do what he wanted, only to be failing miserably. “Oh let’s see if you can do better.” He hands the control over to Sparrow and turns out Sparrow wasn’t that crash hot either, but was able to see the funny side of it, as did Severus.  
They got bored with the game after only an hour and a half of it, and ventured to off to explore other options.  
Bowling proved to be more entertaining, especially since neither had bowled in their lives, so they decided that for any pin they manage to knock down, they that counted toward who would win in choosing the movie that night. They didn’t go by traditional scoring, that was just boring, they liked their scoring system better, one pin equalled to 2 points, knock them all down it equalled to twenty-five points, instead of twenty. Plus it was an interesting twist to helping Sparrow to add. She knew some basic maths and how to count to ten before she met Severus, but again thanks to her being denied the rights to learn, it was another set of lessons for Sparrow to be guided in by Severus and those who want her to see her succeed and enjoy such delights as they do.  
Severus took his turn and the ball knocked down three of the pins, with the first try and an extra five with the second.  
“Sixteen more points... takes you to... um... 147?”  
Severus goes over and looks over Sparrow, hearing her unsure tone.  
“That is correct,” he confirms for her, then kisses her cheek and forehead. “See, you know what you’re doing, Sparrow, like with your reading and writing, you’re improving and I’m proud of your will to do your best. I do not expect perfection from you, that’s reserved from my students. You, while are my student in a way, are also my wife, and special privileges come with that position.”  
“Careful, I might dress up in school robes and test that, Professor,” Sparrow quips with flirtation in her tone.  
Severus places a curled finger under Sparrow’s chin; “This might be classed as a special privilege,” he says and brings her into a kiss. “Though it would be tantalising to see you in school robes... bring you to my office... place you on my desk...” He lightly kisses her as he says this.  
“Mmm, have I been a good girl, Professor Cobra?” she responds to this.  
“Oh, you’ve been a very, very good girl, Miss Sparrow,” he purred, as he coaxes her to move up and on the table that was for keeping score on their Bowling game. He pushes the scoresheets and pencils aside, they falls and scatter, as Sparrow allows him to position her, (making sure she was comfortable, by making a back support appear so she didn’t fall off the other side and it was cushioned).  
“What have I done, sir, that was good?”  
“Always with good manners,” he replies, gently removing Sparrow’s knickers. “Handing your homework in on time, every time.” He allows her to pull his board shorts down. “Behaving in class...” he does right in, his penis already hard enough, as he guides it to the lips of her wet, inviting entry, “and for being my beautiful, shy, smart and talented wife, whom I love more than anything possible.”  
“And I to you, Professor Cobra,” Sparrow murmurs in his ear, before she inhales deeply upon feeling him push his manhood deep inside of her.

###

The time away truly did help them both. It allowed Sparrow to heal as much as possible and gain whatever strength she could muster to face the next set of challenges ahead. It also allowed Severus to really get to know his wife. Not the girl he was once forced to marry due to a law, a law that was now still in suspension, but the young lady she had blossomed into since taking her into his coils and taught her to fly.  
Severus did get a reminders, every now and again during their stay on Malfoy Isle, that Sparrow was, in various ways, a young teenager, and he was a full grown man. Severus even voiced this concern.  
“What if I were a lot closer to your age?” he would ask. “Would you be more comfortable?”  
“I honestly wouldn’t know,” Sparrow answered truthfully. “Why do you ask?”  
“Because I worry in knowing that by the time you reach your twenties, I’ll be in my forties... closer to being an old man.”  
Sparrow just kisses his cheek and tells him; “I will still want to be with you, Severus. I do not just say that because of how we came together. I say it because it’s true. You’re still my family, Severus. No matter what.”  
This did put Severus at ease a little, but he couldn’t help but think... maybe... just maybe... and there is a legal way of doing it, if done for the right circumstances and reasons, and he felt in his heart that this was just one of those cases, but he would have to take this to Kingsley and Moody when he and Sparrow got back to the United Kingdom...  
Severus wanted to spend as many years with Sparrow, maybe have a child or two with her, if she still wanted them, (and she did express the thought of liking children when she was a lot older), and grow old with her, but not before she while she was still so young.  
It had been a very long time since he felt this way about anyone. So, he hoped that he would be allowed to do the one thing that is so strict in the use, just to have that chance he never thought he would ever get again.  
‘I will always treasure what I had with you Lily Evans, but now it’s time for me to put the past aside and step into this life I have with my love, Sparrow,’ he thought to himself, as his arms firmed around Sparrow, keeping the blanket around their naked bodies, while she slept with her head against his chest, one of her arms tucked in and the other resting across his hip, and brushes a soft kiss upon her.  
Sparrow didn’t stir at this, she had been so worn out from the exhilarating day they’ve had that day, that she fell asleep the moment Severus wrapped them up under this blanket to start watching some television.  
“I hope you will approve of what I want to do for you, Little Sparrow,” he whispers, as she slept on.

###

The time to leave had come at last for Sparrow and Severus, they made sure they had packed everything they had bought, and a couple of souvenirs that were complimentary of the Isle.  
It was five days before Christmas Day by the time they arrived back to Snape Manor.  
“Can we go back to being not so rugged up?” Sparrow jokes.  
“Maybe for the summer. No guarantees though,” said Severus, as they entered the Manor and were greeting by Minksy and Fyffe who gave them a wonderfully made hot chocolate to help warm them up faster. Boy were they needed!  
As the couple started to get back into the old swing of the Manor, and owl came flying in and Severus took the letter.  
“What is it Severus?” Sparrows asks.  
“We’ve been given a date to start the court proceedings,” he tells her. “They’re going to start on the eleventh of January, and it might take up to a few weeks... or it could drag on for a couple of years. Alastair Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt have waited until we got back to tell us.  
“They would also like to talk to you on what you might expect, should you be called as a witness to speak up. This will be done in the next couple of days, they want to get it out of the way as soon as possible to help prepare you sooner, rather than just as you’re about to walk in and feeling ambushed. If you agree to the meeting and understanding what may or may not happen.”  
“I agree to do what I must to help stop the Law and put him and the others to justice. But...”  
“But what, my sweet?”  
“I am worried that they will take me away from you,” Sparrow voices.  
Severus wraps his arms tightly around Sparrow. “It won’t happen, Sparrow. Even if the abolishment of the Marriage Law is successful, they would, we can hope, be fair on the parties who genuinely wish to stay with their spouse.”  
“I hope so, because I don’t want to lose you, Cobra, as I feel I’d be lost without you,” she admits to him.  
“You will never lose me, Sparrow, not for a very, very long time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason I hadn't gone into great detail with Dumbledore's Memory Recall is because there will likely to be a full chapter or two dedicated to what Moody and Kingsley have seen, when the trail takes place and the actions to try and take down the Marriage Law and have the ones who just wouldn't let it go for their own personal gain to be put to justice... we can hope anyway...


	11. Nice Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas... time for some yule time cheer...

Chapter Eleven  
Nice Surprise

 

“Are you sure that this is what you wish to do, Severus?”  
“I cannot remember the last time I’ve ever been so sure on something, Minerva,” Severus replies in truthful tone. “I have already spoken to Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt, I felt that it would be out of courtesy and respect that I ought to explain to you on my plans.”  
“You do realise that once you take that step there is no antidote to reverse it?”  
“I am aware. But in the same respect, how many genuinely get the chance to wind back the clock? Especially when they know it is for the right reasons.”  
Minerva studies Severus through her square glasses with deep thought. She had watched this man go from a boy starting at his first year at Hogwarts and growing to become a genius of a man with strong unrelenting talents that he already had before coming to the school or developed over time. Of course, he could be something of a brute toward the students, but he has proven time and time again that he is a Master in what he does, if he had the chance teach the Defence Against the Dark Arts class, she had no doubt he would be just as skilful.  
Minerva still saw that tough exterior, but something within Severus had changed, she had suspected that since having Sparrow in his life, despite the circumstances that bought them together, she had given something to Severus to help break the hardened person he was. Hope, joy and love.  
Otherwise, Severus wouldn’t have gone to her to explain on his plans to, going through legal channels to do so, decrease his biological age, go back to the age he’s chosen to restart at, so his life with his wife would have more promise within it.  
“You know you would be back to being only a year or so older than the seventh years,” Minerva points out.  
Severus could hear the worried tones within his colleague’s tone.  
“You would still accept me back as Potions Master?” he wasn’t really expecting to keep his job after explaining his plan.  
“Well, as much as you would like to have the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, we cannot do without a Potions Master, and one with strong expertise. Of course I would accept you back! I don’t think I ever remember firing you, or you resigning, all you did was go on leave because it was ordered.  
“Now that Albus is no longer in the position of Headmaster, that responsibility moving on to me, as the new Headmistress, I am going to still require strong and skilful staff who know what they’re doing to keep confidence in our students and their families. A change in your age and possible appearance when you do isn’t going to decrease your knowledge and talent for the subject. Last I have heard of this de-aging process being done it hasn’t. I am also going to still need a Head of Slytherin House, which is still your position.”  
“Thank you,” said Severus.  
“Do you know when you will know if it can be done?”  
“Not for another few months as there are hoops to go through.”  
“Does Sparrow know?”  
“Yes.”  
“Where does she sit with your decision?”  
“She supports my decision, she’s more worried on the case against the Marriage Law, she’s afraid that it won’t be disbanded, and afraid that if it does, she would lose me.”  
Minerva to understand to a degree on what Sparrow would be with worries and anxieties. Like Sparrow was for Severus, Severus was someone who gave Sparrow her own sense of worth, joy and hope, plus of course love.  
It seemed age wasn’t too much of a factor anymore; except Severus wanting to reduce his age to be with his wife a lot longer. He will always be twenty years older, but in biology, (including appearance), and documentation, he will only be three to five years older than Sparrow.  
“Everything will work out the way they ought to, Severus,” she says assuredly.

###

Sparrow was awoken by the smell of fresh flowers.  
“Merry Christmas, Little Sparrow,” she hears Severus say, as she sits up to see the room had been decorated with flowers and Christmas decor.  
“Wow!”  
Severus was pleased to see his wife’s delight upon her face.  
“Do you like?” he asks.  
Sparrow leans over and kisses her husband on the cheek. “I love it, thank you, Cobra.”  
“My pleasure, Little Sparrow. I have made them so they will stay until New Year’s Day, so you can enjoy them for the entire week. But that is not all, however this one is a permanent feature now.”  
Curious as to what Severus was talking about, Sparrow allowed him to take her by the hand and lead her through the Manor to a section near the east wing garden, where...  
“Oh my... is that for me?”  
No wonder Severus was making sure Sparrow didn’t come to this section of the gardens for the last couple of days, for built to fit in perfectly with the garden was a small studio, with plain coloured walls, French doors and French windows, even the roof was plain.  
“It became more obvious that you needed something that was solely yours so you can create your artwork in, or even store them safely,” Severus explains, watching Sparrow taking in the little building. “It’s been left without any colours or decoration, because to me a creative mind ought to have the choice of what their space ought to look like to help with their own work and spark of inspiration, even simple solace.”  
He showed her the inside of it, which was also completely bare of any form of decorative wall features and the like, but she did find everything was in its place and ready for use; a painting area, adjustable tables for drawing.  
“Is that a kiln?” Sparrow asks seeing the great big oven looking thing set safely in a corner, where a sculpting station had been set up – the entire place was able to be opened up where needed for better installation, especially if Sparrow was to think of exploring more hazardous form of art, plus oil based paint, clay dust and even the kiln can be dangerous if not handled properly.  
There were paints of many kinds from acrylic to oil to gouache and spray; canvases, paper and even cardboard; charcoal and chalk.  
“You even added glitter and little bits!”  
‘Little bits’ was Sparrow’s term for such things as stickers, stamps, pins and so on.  
“I just wanted you to feel like this was your home, and you belong here,” Severus tells her with earnest, snaking his arms around her, pulling her back into him, and placing a kiss at the top of her head, before leaning his forehead on the spot he kissed.  
“But I have felt like I was home and belonged, since coming back from the hospital after nearly losing my own life... and wanting you, and to be with you. You made me feel like I was home before that, treating with like a person and that I mattered, I just didn’t understand back then,” Sparrow replies.  
She turns to face him, looking up into his dark eyes, her hand stroking his cheek. She knew of his Legilimency skills, which rarely used on her, because of his respect for her, but this was different. Severus could see how serious she was, but also deeply thankful, too.  
“And now you do,” he finishes for her.  
Sparrow nods. “I do.”  
“It’s been a very long time since I’ve really opened myself to anyone, and... you deserve to be treated with respect and I can hope that what I am even doing is good enough,” Severus’s voice was quite vulnerable right now. Something Sparrow doesn’t hear often.  
Sparrow goes on her tip toe to place her lips on his lips before looking back into his eyes and speaking. “You don’t always have to go out of your way to please me, Severus. You allowed me to feel comfortable, to feel whatever and however I wanted to. I love you, my Cobra, and I am grateful and thankful in knowing and learning more than I could ever imagine... and this studio... I didn’t expect this at all, I did dream of a place like this, I just wish I had something to give you in return. All I have is me right now.”  
Severus holds her tightly to him; he had known that Sparrow wouldn’t have been able to give him anything in return for his gift to her, and he also knew that this would also be her very first Christmas outside of the Boarding House – where such things were seen as too elaborate and nice for such girls, if the girls did get anything it was a tray of their favourite foods, new clothes to fit for the next six months and most of the day watching the Keepers take turns in flogging some of the ‘Tainted’ girls to teach the ‘Untainted’ a lesson on how not to end up like them.  
“Your happiness and love is gift enough for me, Little Sparrow,” he tells her firmly.

###

“I don’t know about this!” Sparrow admits, stepping out dressed in elegant powder blue dress robes that had silver trim and neckline, it had long sleeves and reached her ankles.  
“Your nerves are talking,” said Severus, gently.  
“Because we’re about to head into a crowd of people,” Sparrow says.  
Severus calms her. “It’s only at the Malfoy Manor, you know you’re going to be protected there. Lucius has made sure of it by sealing your name into the family tapestry and placing the charms that come with it, he even extended to me by adding me on to it, as I am married to you, placing me under the same family protection charm.”  
“I know. But you know what I am like with people and crowds.”  
“They will have provided quite areas for you to escape to when it gets too much, Narcissa explained this to me, as she learned of your wariness and insisted on it.”  
“Do you think I will be able to get through this?” Sparrow then asks.  
“I know you can. It’s only going to be for a few hours, you’ll have our room to escape to if needed, as well as the other areas chosen, and it will give you the chance to learn a little more of your family and their traditions,” Severus answers.  
With those reassuring words, Sparrow went to finish getting ready, allowing Severus to do the same.  
Not long later, they were standing on the doorstep of Malfoy Manor. Sparrow had been here before on a few occasions, twice before learning of her family connection, and a few occasions, yet she still got a little overwhelmed, something that ebbs further away at each visit, but knowing that there was going to be a crowd inside, waiting to meet Lucius Malfoy’s niece, it did make her feel a little anxious.  
The door opened and they were greeted by Lucius.  
“Uh, the guest of honour,” he says.  
Severus had to place his hands on Sparrow’s shoulders to stop her from bolting, when Lucius uttered those words.  
“Everyone is in the ballroom,” says Lucius.  
“Not quite everyone,” spoke the voice of Narcissa, who appeared.  
Both Narcissa and Lucius were dressed elegantly in their dress robes of dark green and silver. Narcissa had her hair in an elegant twist, while Lucius’s just flowed neatly.  
“Hello Sparrow, Severus,” Narcissa smiles.  
“Narcissa,” Severus respectfully addresses.  
“Mind if I steal your wife for a moment?” Narcissa asks, eyes on Sparrow.  
As Sparrow is led away by Narcissa, Lucius waits until they’re out of earshot.  
“I have some troubling news, Severus, I am passing it to you, because I feel that you’re the best person to explain to Sparrow.”  
Immediately Severus was listening with intent, as Lucius informed him on what he needed to know;  
“A lot of men are not happy with the suspension of the law, many of whom have lost their wives and children because they were free to leave if they wanted to. They’re putting the blame on Sparrow for speaking up, they’re not even acknowledging that she had the support to do so.  
“They’re also pissed that Dumbledore has been put away, to them he was the reason why many of them got the wives they did. It didn’t matter that some of those wives ended up dead because of ‘their failure to produce’, to them the girl is at fault for not allowing their body to function, which is utterly ridiculous of course.”  
“Are any of them here tonight?” Severus dared to ask.  
“Certainly not! At least not the ones I know of that is.”  
“Do they intend on harming my wife?”  
“Some of them might.”  
“Yet it was the Aurors and whoever else who put the suspension on the Marriage Law, not Sparrow.”  
“I know, Severus, but they want to put it on the girl who couldn’t shut up and accept things for the way they are. What did it matter if many others were wanting this Law to go away? What did it matter if girls were being forced to marry? Some of those men deliberately waited until the age they had to be wedded by just so they can carry out their fantasy of having sex with a twelve, thirteen or fourteen year old virgin and know she belonged to him to do as he pleased.  
“Mattered not to them that some of them only lived for a fortnight, they got what they wanted, knowing that they were free after that. But they can request a replacement Bride... time and time again if they so desired. Like the Boarding Houses were nothing more than holding pens for the next line of victims, knowing that many are going to end up dead or in serious misery for however long they’re willing to put up with it.  
“I’d hate to say it, but even the Dark Lord wasn’t that bad.”  
“If I remember correctly he was strongly against the Marriage Law,” Severus mentions to his former schoolmate and former Death Eater... both still bearing the reminders on their left inner forearms though faded.  
Severus knows Sparrow had seen it and she did ask about it, he told her it was of a time where he was foolish to believe that joining the Dark Lord, Voldemort, was a good idea, as he was convinced that it would make things better; how he wondered what it would have been like if he hadn’t of got to Albus Dumbledore for help that fateful day... he was already being set up to wed Sparrow when he started to ‘help’ Dumbledore after he was helped, though he didn’t know he was at the time, of course.  
Lucius nods to confirm. “He was the only one of a handful to be able to dodge the Law when he reached the age he was meant to be wedded by, that was how much he despised the Law. Because he knew he would be set up... he wasn’t going to do that unless the girl was actually willing to be with him.”  
“Do these men even know what the evidence the Aurors had found?”  
At this Lucius shook his head; “No, Severus, they do not. That isn’t privileged until the trial starts, and we all know stuff like that can take time to be shown, depending on who is running the show with the judges and Wizengamot. Doesn’t mean they won’t try and fight to have the case thrown out and get back to how things were. But I can guarantee if they did get it back, they would really change it so it can’t be ever threatened again, and more girls would be forced the ones who would deliberately not wed, knowing that they would have a fresh into puberty virgin to enjoy.”  
Severus saw Lucius pale a little.  
“What? What aren’t you telling me?” Severus inquires.  
“I heard that some of the men want to make an example out of Sparrow. They want to make sure their point is met on why the Marriage Law should be kept... I don’t know what they mean by it, but it is what I have been hearing... they always stop when they see me coming, they know I am part of the against crowd and strongly in support of my niece. I don’t know how much of it is threat or truth.”  
Severus was about to say something, but movement from the corner of their visual promptly stopped this, as they saw Narcissa and Sparrow returning.  
“Sparrow?” Severus smiles when she reached his side. He saw that she was wearing makeup, beautifully even and harmonising to her skin.  
“Girl’s outfit isn’t complete without makeup to complement,” said Narcissa.  
“That and the fact that you can’t really do that to Draco,” Lucius jokes.  
“Not unless I hogtie him to a chair or drug him with sleeping drought,” Narcissa returns.  
“Or he lost a dare to me and I made him wear lipstick.”  
“When did that happen?” Severus asks Sparrow, as this was the first he, Narcissa and Lucius had heard about it.  
“About four weeks ago,” Sparrow grins.  
“On for the arsenal to take Draco down a peg or two when he needs it,” says Narcissa, while Lucius was trying to picture his son even wearing lipstick; oh, he wasn’t against such thing, it wasn’t something he was expecting Draco to even do in his entire lifetime, even for a dare.  
“Come, let’s go to the ballroom, where everyone is gathered,” Lucius then suggests.  
Sparrow links her arm around Severus’s when he offered it and they were led through the grand house and shortly entering the ballroom.  
To Sparrow the place felt enormous, and nearly every inch of it was decorated beautifully.  
“Canapé?” a waiter offers.  
Sparrow recognises him to be a Debt Servant.  
“Thank you,” she says, taking one of the prawn cocktail with avocado canapés, Severus took one of the fig and goat’s cheese puffs.  
“So this must be Sparrow?” asks a voice belonging to a tall man with scrubby brown beard and ruddy face.  
He was accompanied by pretty woman in her middle age and a pretty good looking young man of sixteen with grey eyes, which he got from his mother and brown hair, from his father.  
Sparrow recognised the young man to be Cedric Diggory, who was in his fifth year at Hogwarts and in Hufflepuff House. But it wasn’t helping her wanting to kick into her flight mode.  
“Severus, I assume you already know Amos and Bonnie Diggory, plus of course their son, Cedric?” Lucius says.  
“Indeed,” Severus replies.  
“Nice to see you, Professor,” Cedric speaks politely, “and you, too, Honey... I mean Sparrow, I apologise; I am still getting used to the name change.”  
“Quite alright,” Sparrow answers, shyly, her naturally soft tone even softer.  
“Many are getting used to the changes around here,” says Amos, looking at Sparrow, studying her. “Caused quite a stir when you decided to start pressing charges, which put a big wave in the system. Very admirable of you to do so, I hope you, and the others who followed suit, are successful.”  
“Amos and Bonnie are one of the strong supporters who are against the Marriage Law and want to see it gone,” Lucius explains.  
Amos puffs out his chest with pride on this fact. “Not just for the girls, but for our boys, too. Everyone should have a choice whether they wish to be wed or not, be they male, or female. Sure, I’d like grandkids one day, but I don’t want my son to feel that he has to do that because of some archaic law that no longer belongs in this day and age.”  
Cedric’s cheeks blushed a little at his father’s words, but also grateful.  
“Also, you really ought to be addressing young Sparrow and the Professor as Lord and Lady Snape,” Amos then reminds his son.  
Severus had already briefed Sparrow on the ins and outs of the mannerisms of those who’ve come from a line of prestige families and wealth and certain titles. While witches and wizards don’t have Kings and Queens, they still have Lords and Ladies, and the title goes on to the Head of the Household. Making Severus Lord Snape, although, he can go by Lord Prince if he wanted to, being he’s the inheriting of the Prince wealth, lands and so on, including name from his mother.  
“Some will insist on calling you Lady Snape,” he told her. “Outside the school, some will use Lord Snape, instead of Professor, when addressing me.”  
“Don’t be too hard on Cedric, Amos, not often do students see me outside of Hogwarts,” Severus tells Mr Diggory with politeness.  
“Amos, don’t hog the guest of honour,” spoke a woman’s voice.  
Sparrow frowns at this, especially when the woman looks at her up and down at her with green eyes through her rhinestone glasses and big toothy grin. She had curly blonde hair and heavy jaw.  
“Rita Skeeter?” Severus was automatically on guard, placing a protective arm around Sparrow and his tone with warning.  
“Oh, relax, this is my day off!” Rita waves a hand.  
“Inviting her was not my idea, I can assure you, Severus,” Lucius said.  
“Nope, I came as Rufus Scrimgeour’s plus one,” Rita said proudly.  
“Good for you, now if you will excuse us,” Severus replies, about to lead Sparrow away.  
“Are you going to going to let him scurry you away like he still owns you, my dear?” Rita then asks Sparrow, before they could take even a step.  
Sparrow didn’t like what she said. “But he doesn’t...”  
“Prove it!”  
“She doesn’t have to prove anything to you,” Severus speaks before Sparrow could, as he could sense Sparrow’s want to get away from this woman.  
“Can’t she say it for herself?”  
“I don’t want to talk to you, I don’t know you and I don’t wish to, so please leave me alone,” Sparrow said firmly, before allowing her husband to escort her away from Rita Skeeter.  
“Do not pull a stunt like that in my home again, or I will have you thrown out!” Narcissa warns in a fiery tone, eyes glaring.  
“Whatever you say, Lady Malfoy,” says Rita in a bored tone.  
Draco made his appearance with Pansy Parkinson at his side.  
“Oh no,” Sparrow mutters under breath.  
“What’s the matter?” Severus asks.  
“What are you doing here?” Pansy asks Sparrow with narrowed eyes. “Oh, hello Professor!” As if she didn’t see him until just now.  
“Hello Miss Parkinson,” Severus’s voice was now more of concern. “Draco, how has your holidays been?”  
“Fine, sir,” said Draco genuinely. “And you?”  
“Splendidly,” said Severus.  
“So, did you like what you got for Christmas?” Draco asks Sparrow.  
“Draco was in on the secret the whole time,” said Severus, when Sparrow looked at him.  
“More than liked it, I love it,” she says.  
“What? What did she get?” Pansy wanted to know, as if she was going to miss out of some hot gossip. “A necklace? A puppy?”  
“A studio so I can do my art in,” said Sparrow.  
“You got her a studio?” Pansy makes a face at this. “How boring!”  
“You do realise you’re lucky we’re not at Hogwarts, or points would have been taken for your rudeness,” Severus reminds Pansy.  
He now understood Sparrow’s dismay, Pansy didn’t like her and she’s been really unhappy with her spending any time with Draco, as if there is some attempt to steal him from her. Didn’t seem to bother her to learn the facts of Sparrow’s circumstances and her marriage ties to Severus; not to mention her loyalty to him. Draco is simply her cousin, nothing more. Pansy was having a hard time seeing that. So she will take a swipe at any opportunity to hurt Sparrow’s confidence or insult her in some way.  
“Pansy, can you just stop?” Draco tells the girl who’s crushing on him.  
A tapping of a glass was heard and any and all conversation stopped at once.  
“Welcome guests to the Malfoy Christmas Yule Festivity!” Lucius begins; “Now that we are all here, I would like to ask for everyone to make their way to the Terrace, where you will find your seats, so we can start the luncheon!”  
Carefully the guests made their way to the Terrace, where a very long set up with stylish table clothes of either green, white and burgundy with silver and gold snowflake patterning, and the chairs were all with ribbons tied around them, each of them having a little chair pouch attached to the ribbons. The centrepieces were of mini wreaths made of holly and pine with candles that smell of either cinnamon, frankincense, clove or sweet orange. Everyone had their names in place of where they will be sitting.  
Once everyone was seated, the food and beverages appeared.  
Pansy wasn’t at all pleased to see that Sparrow was seated up where the three Malfoys were seated, (along with Severus of course).  
“You can’t have that!” Pansy cries, seeing Sparrow taking an offer of Fresita, which is a strawberry flavoured wine, and taking a sip out of it, before returning to her meal. “She’s -”  
“My wife, and is very much allowed,” Severus cuts her off in a firm tone.  
“But -”  
“Pansy, you’re being embarrassing right now,” Draco hisses. “I am starting to regret in even asking you to join me today, because you haven’t stopped ever since you found out Sparrow was going to be here.”  
Pansy could see Draco’s disapproval, and that of his parents, with her behaviour. She was silent for the rest of the dining part of the event.  
When everyone had their fill, Lucius once again speaks.  
“You will have noticed attached to the chairs are little pouches, during the course of this part of the festive, something would have appeared within those pouches. I would like you all to have a look at what they are.”  
Sparrow checked hers to find a tote bag with a small box. Everyone got a tote bag with a little something inside it.  
“The small items are what you would have sent through for the secret Santa, meaning no one knows who got what from whom, as is tradition when we have this Yule Ball. But some of you who have been here before also know that it means the Treasure Hunt portion.”  
Sparrow could see Pansy grinning at this, as were a few who have definitely been here before.  
“The rules are simple, the only places out of bounds to look are the doors and areas that have been sealed with the Malfoy family crest over them. The rest is worth venturing if you know where to look and have a keen eye. The items are all marked with various ribbons, some of them wrapped, some of them placed in a pile, if you see a pile, you are only to take one! We will know if you took more than that! Cheating is a big no-no here, as many of you would know, especially after witnessing what happened to Vincent Crabbe two years ago when he tried to hide one of the items so he could find it later.  
“You do not have to participate if you don’t wish to; this is just for fun, nothing more. For any who don’t wish to take part in the Treasure Hunt, please join Narcissa and I back into the ballroom where many choice deserts and cakes shall be served, along with potions for those who might have eaten too much.”  
Little giggles on the last part.  
When Lucius gave the word people who wanted to be a part of the Treasure hunt started getting out of their seats to start hunting.  
Severus whispers in Sparrow’s ear and gently squeezing her hand; “So and have some fun.”  
Sparrow gives a small smile and takes this advice.  
“Sometimes it is hard to remember how old she really is at times,” Lucius mutters to Severus.  
“I try to not always think about it, though I know deep down the truth of it all,” Severus returns, just as quietly.  
“You’re doing well by her, though, Severus. Merlin knows what would have been if she ended up with someone else, we may never of known who she was. I can also tell that you do love her, which I guess is part of you reasons to take the steps to reverse your age to be closer in years, at least biologically, chronically is something different that cannot be changed.”  
“Thank you, Lucius,” said Severus grateful to his old friend’s sentiments.  
No one knew how long Sparrow had been gone for... that was until Pansy came in to the ballroom, helping a rather messed up Sparrow.  
“Professor!” she calls.  
Severus hurries over. Sparrow huddled straight into his arms.  
“What happened?”  
“Two of the guests... um... I don’t know who they are, they cornered Sparrow into a room where she was looking for whatever items during the Hunt, I knocked them out when I saw them after hearing her trying to fight them off,” Pansy explains.  
“Are they still knocked out?” Lucius asks.  
“I think you, but I can show you and maybe point them out if they’re awake and still here,” Pansy answers.  
“Take me to them!”  
Pansy just does as she’s told.  
“Miss Parkinson,” Severus speaks up. Pansy looks back. “Thank you.”  
With a small nod, Pansy continues to show Lucius Malfoy where the culprits of Sparrow’s latest attack were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh... who decided to try and hurt Sparrow?  
> Did Lucius mistaken someone as a trusted person to be within his household?  
> Yet to come up with those answers...


	12. Comfort, Targets and Happy Birthday!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday Severus...

Chapter Twelve  
Comfort, Targets and Happy Birthday!

 

Lucius Malfoy was none too pleased when he found Randall Parkinson and Joel McGraw in one of the studies, unconscious.  
“I thought you said you didn’t know them?” Lucius says to Pansy.  
“I didn’t realise it was my own brother, Lord Malfoy, I saw Sparrow getting attacked and as much as I don’t like her, I wasn’t about to let them do what they were actually planning to do to her! I’d do the same if it was Hermione Granger! I don’t believe anyone should endure that, ever!” Pansy defended, pointing at her knocked out older brother and his friend.  
Randall had the similar to same features as Pansy, but more stocky. Joel was pudgier than his younger brother, Colin.  
“I also know some are still hell bent in trying to score Sparrow, I just didn’t know my own brother was part of that stupid bet!”  
“I believe you,” said Lucius, as he places the young men into Pertrificus Totallus, and then requests for Pansy to get Narcissa.  
In the meanwhile, Severus had taken Sparrow to her room that the Malfoys had selected specifically for her during her stays in the Manor, so she had her own little sanctuary to escape to when she needed to.  
It was beautifully decorated with plush royal blue carpets that compliment the lighter colours that made up the room.  
Severus guides her on to the bed, where he joins her and just holds her firmly.  
“I don’t understand, Severus. Why do they want to do that? I don’t want them touching me!”  
“Unfortunately some are still in the belief that even with the suspension in place, the game Score the Bride is in play,” Severus replies gently, getting her to look at him. “At least that is the theory. Regardless, they shouldn’t have touched you. They keep forgetting who your husband is, and of course who you’re related to now that is in the open. Some still have this belief that you’ll willingly allow them to have you to test you.”  
“But I only want you, Severus! I don’t want them and I wouldn’t do that!”  
Severus soothes her with his tender strokes and light kisses. “I know, my sweet, I know.”  
“They said that it was payback for ruining something that was perfect. They wanted their virgins; they didn’t care if they had to teach me a lesson for ruining that. I don’t understand what they mean.”  
Severus had hoped to have waited until they were back at Snape Manor to talk to Sparrow of what he had learned from Lucius, but it appeared that she needed to know now, so with careful words and soothing strokes and doing his ever best to keep her calm doing the whole of it, he explained everything to his young wife.  
The technique he used worked on Sparrow. She did have stray tears, but on the whole she was able to comprehend what he was telling her.  
“Why can’t people understand how it hurts us when they want it kept?” she asks him.  
Severus, still careful and gentle, explains; “Because some of them don’t believe what they are doing is causing harm. They believe that they have the right to own and control something, even if it is another person, by person, a girl who’s been trained for the one purpose and that is to breed mindlessly... or in some cases, simply for being nothing more than pleasure girls.”  
Sparrow wanted to ask which one was she, as she was told she had to breed, only to nearly end up dead, sensing this Severus cups her cheek and gently places his lips on hers.  
“You are my wife! You were neither to be my pleasure girl, for I never saw you in that way, and I never will, nor will I have used you to be an incubator for any children I sired. You were used and abused by the man who should have taken more responsibility for your care. He underestimated who I am as a person; he underestimated you for your value. His biggest mistake was him believing that I would allow you to be used for my own satisfaction and force you to bend to my whim, and return do what he wanted me to do for him.  
“Our first night was perhaps the only time I had to use such power over you. I just hoped that you were as comfortable as I could get you, while carrying out the sealing of ownership.”  
Sparrow places her own hand on Severus’s cheek.  
“You have never given me a reason to believe that I was being forced into anything. Even when you entered me for the first time, you made me feel safe, you knew it would hurt me, but you still made sure I was okay, and I let you finish what you had to.  
“You supported me where no one else had. You helped me. Did I know how that my own feelings would turn the way they have? No. But... it feels right for me to be with you, Severus, and despite it all, I am glad to have you.”  
Severus could see the genuine sincerity in Sparrow’s blue eyes.  
“And I you,” he replies.

###

Sadly, Sparrow wasn’t the only one being targeted, other Brides were being fallen victim to brutal attacks, be it by the hands of their own husbands, or their husbands tossing them to the brutes. Some of the more protective husbands, however, were being forced to watch their wives being violated.  
It seemed that the fact that they had an escaped killer on the loose had fallen on the wayside.  
The suspension of the Law had really sparked the real viciousness and rawness on just how certain people, majority men, felt about it all, and would just take it on the ones who are most helpless and unable to really defend themselves, because they weren’t allowed to.  
The Aurors may have managed to save and free as many of these girls, but some were genuinely fearful of leaving their brute husbands, never mind that their lives would be equally in danger if they stayed, too. They had been so conditioned to be dependant of these men that the thought of stepping a single inch away from their side was terrifying to them.  
But the main target was Sparrow Pandora Snape.  
_She_ was the one who caused this to happen!  
_She_ couldn’t keep her mouth shut!  
_She_ couldn’t just accept that she was only fit for one thing and one thing only!  
_Her husband_ should have put a muzzle on her.  
_Her husband_ should have disciplined her!  
Someone even suggested that her husband should have chained her to his bed and throw away the key – and that particular person got a nice blasting from Severus Snape himself when he heard this.  
“It was _me_ who encouraged her to seek justice for the **crimes** that were done against her and her mother! It was _me_ who supported her when she was almost **killed** by the man who calls himself her father! It was _me_ who helped give the statement that ensured that suspension was in place!” his voice ever dangerous, wand held out to the group of men and a couple of ‘free women’ who had the misfortune of being overheard by Severus. “It is _me_ who will do that and much more to any who **dares** to speak ill of my wife, or **dares** to cause her harm! Or had you forgotten what had happened to the McGraw brothers, that Tyler boy and Mr Randall Parkinson? I am still within my rights to carry out whatever punishment _I_ see fit upon _any_ who touches her! That part of the Marriage Law _wasn’t_ suspended, because the Aurors and the caseworkers _knew_ that this might happen! _Especially_ with Lady Snape, **my wife** , being the one in nearly everyone’s sights to try and shut her up before this trial goes ahead and during.  
“I am telling you here and now that the trial is going ahead! You will see the sort of monsters the organisers are, and the suffering that have been placed upon those who were forced into the lives they’re made to lead.”  
His onyx eyes shift to the free women. “Be ever grateful that you’re never forced to do things against your will, because you’re _**free!**_ ”  
He let those words sink in a little before turning and walking away, monstrously pissed off.  
Because of the threats against her, Sparrow was practically house bound. Severus didn’t want to put her at unnecessary risk.  
At least she was able to find things to do with her time.

###

A smile spread on Severus’s lips when he felt Sparrow’s little kisses, and her whispering ‘happy birthday’ in his ear, which causes him to awaken and pull her to him, which she didn’t protest, until his fingers started to slide up her night-dress and toward her underwear.  
Sparrow stops him. “I started my cycle last night, sorry.”  
Severus pulls his hand away from the area and says; “No need to apologise, Little Sparrow. At least you warned me.”  
He kisses her deeply, as he felt her own hand slipping into his pants, and started stroking.  
“Cheeky Sparrow,” he laughs quietly.  
“I have a little surprise for you,” she says.  
“Oh?”  
“It’s in your potions laboratory.”  
“I suppose I better go a look shall I?” Severus smiles, gently getting Sparrow to pull her hand away, as much he’d love for her to continue, as his already morning wood was getting what felt like a nice treat, and slipping off the bed to make his way out of the Master Suite and through the Manor to his potions room.  
At first he didn’t see anything different, until he took a closer look. New unused cauldrons, two new sets of scales, he even saw some ingredients he had been after for a good two months, but had trouble tracking them down, or when he finds them they’re sold out before he could order any, and he wasn’t going to use the supplies from the school, Severus was very, very strict when it came to what was for Hogwarts and his students and what was for his own personal use.  
There were a few other new items that were for the purpose of potion making, and two new books that were related to the Dark Arts, something Sparrow understood to be still a favourite passion of Severus’s. He was more mellowed over the years, but his expertise and will to keep learning the subject, plus the Defence side of it, was forever strong.  
They were simple gifts, but simple was enough for Severus, especially from Sparrow who clearly wanted to make sure he even got something for his birthday. Birthdays for him weren’t always something for him to look forward to, on occasion he enjoyed it, but other times, they were just another day for him and a reminder that he, like everyone else, is getting another year older.  
Last year was the year he knew he would have to face the Marriage Law, turning 33 and not being successful in finding a suitable wife. This was not out of lack of trying, Severus has had been with women before Sparrow came into his life, but for one reason or another they always fell apart, be it the woman wasn’t compatible to him and his nature, or if the relationship was in anyway looking to be successful, they were sabotaged in some way, and Severus knew why, after everything was exposed through Sparrow’s Memory Recall Onslaught, and how Albus Dumbledore was deliberately keeping Sparrow specifically for him.  
While he had no idea that Sparrow would even be a perfect fit for him, he couldn’t help but find the irony of how one old man’s want to be so controlling and force Severus to be the one to marry his own granddaughter, no! His own daughter! His one true Heir and Promise in continuing the Dumbledore bloodline... should she be successful after only one night of having sex... Sparrow was nothing more than a puppet to her father, the string to keep Severus within reach, only to find that real genuine feelings would bloom from the forced marriage and a sense of purpose for Severus.  
He feels Sparrow’s arms going around his waist, chin resting softly on his shoulder blade.  
“Do you approve?” she asks.  
Severus takes her arms to loosen them a little, so he could turn to face her.  
“I approve, my Sparrow, and I thank you,” he says.  
“You’re welcome.”  
Turns out Sparrow wasn’t done. She had asked the House Elves to make up French toast with hazelnut chocolate drizzle and fresh cream, and...  
“Soft boiled eggs with little soldiers,” Severus grins when he sees this. “How did you know I liked these?”  
“I’ve seen you having them whenever you decide to have a few hours of a morning in one of the sunrooms with a book. I eventually learned it was something of a favourite when you were growing up,” Sparrow explains.  
Severus didn’t know how Sparrow come to learn of his favourite childhood treat, but it didn’t matter, she wanted to make today special for him, and she certainly has made his morning something to enjoy.  
“Have you tried these yourself?” he asks her.  
Sparrow shakes her head. “No, I haven’t.”  
Severus sits her down at the table and shows her how to crack the boiled egg open and getting one of the little strips of toast to dip in the slightly runny goo of the partly cook yoke and just enjoy.  
Sparrow tried this, and nearly gagged, Severus laughs at this.  
“I don’t think my tastebuds like runny egg,” she remarks, before taking a drink of juice to get rid of the taste.  
“At least you gave it a shot,” said Severus, still very amused.  
Sparrow certainly couldn’t refute that.  
The day was simply spent watching Stargate... well... most of the time, as while Severus couldn’t exactly have his way with Sparrow for at least another few days, Sparrow was still able to have her way with him...  
He still had to guide her, but not as much, for she found what was comfortable, while pleasuring him. Especially when she found a certain spot that made Severus really jolt a little, and feel his body was on in this deep abyss of pleasure and she kept going, listening to his deep throated noises and urges for more. There was no question in Severus’s mind that Sparrow had become more confident when it came to wanting to explore the pleasures and joys of sex. She will always be his shy little Sparrow, and he also knew that he would be the only male, or rather person, in her life she’d ever have such access to do such ‘ideas’ upon.  
Severus let out another deep throated moan, shifting as Sparrow worked at him; her hand had been bought up at some point, which added to the sensation.  
Without speaking, Severus gets Sparrow to move away, for he knew she wasn’t used to being ejaculated into the mouth or face, not after the first time she wasn’t, that may take time to build up to it. For now, when he knew he was about to start excreting, he signals her by placing a hand between him and her to allow her time to move away, or at least act as a bit of a barrier if his seed shot out before she got out of the way, and gently bringing her up to him and his lips with the other.  
Sparrow felt his sticky heat going on to her knickers and thighs. Merlin, it felt good!  
“More than one way make the birthday boy happy,” she says.  
Severus nuzzles into her, smiling. “More than happy, my sweet, more than happy indeed.”


	13. So it begins...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for court... the nerves are running high...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bear with me, first time writing a courtroom scene :-/

Chapter Thirteen  
So it begins...

 

Day one of the Trial against the Marriage Law and the alleged Crimes committed;

The courtroom was extremely large, and intimidating.  
Severus kept Sparrow close to him, keeping a gentle hold on her elbow, or a protective arm around her, depending on which sections they had to go through to get to the area they needed to go. Especially when they got to the entry of the courtroom where a huge crowd was gathered – where way too many were overly curious on whom Lady Snape was, the one who dared challenge the Marriage Law and press charges on the admirable Albus Dumbledore. Some still couldn’t, or wouldn’t believe, that Lord Snape would be accepting of this challenge against something that had been written into Law since for as long as their forefathers.  
Everyone who was to be in here went to their allocated seats, so it wasn’t too long before Severus and Sparrow had found their seats; seated in the row in front of Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy.  
It felt like forever, but it really wasn’t, when the large doors where many had entered in from were closed and sealed shut.  
Escorted in by a team of security wizards and witches were the accused; each and every one of them were placed in a chair behind a glass room, where their magic was rendered useless, they were magically sealed to the seats and cuffed, no-one was going to move unless they were told to.  
Severus felt his hand being squeezed; Sparrow was trying to keep her nerves under control. He had given her a very mild calming potion, but it was more to make sure she didn’t bolt and take the edge off. He places his other hand over the top of hers. She had lowered her gaze from the one man who many still believed was innocent, unknowing of his crimes.  
“You’re safe. Nothing bad can happen here,” Severus assures her.  
Sparrow looks at him, she wasn’t so sure about his words, but she tried to put on as brave of a face as she could muster. Oh, how she could feel the blue eyes, the brilliant blue she inherited, upon her, she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction that he still scared her, nor did she want to look at him, unless she had to.  
The judge enters and all chattering ceases at once.  
Within moments the opening words had begun;  
“Ladies and gentlemen, today is the start of one very interesting case and trial many would have thought to never happen in the history of our people to have ever take place. But here we are. A taskforce team of Aurors and selective operatives, as well as undercover agents, have been working tirelessly for years to gather evidence to build a case to try and abolish the Marriage Law and to see some of the holders and keepers of this law held responsible for their deeds of ill treatment and corruption.  
“There has been a few witnesses who’ve come forward since the first of them spoke up and gave evidence recordings to Aurors Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt. It was enough to allow this to be bought forward and be seen for what this Law has once been and what it has become, and to see that if it is favoured to keep the Marriage Law going, or to change and get rid of it once and for all.  
“Throughout the course of this trial we will be learning the history of how the Law came to be; how it was continued during the decades and the effects of what it is doing now. We will listen to many statements and from witnesses; we will see the recordings of the memories and shown the evidence that have been bought forward to the case.  
“How long this will take, it is uncertain. But at the end there will be a verdict and a final decision on everything! From the accused to the Marriage Law itself! Now, let us begin by calling the first listening to the opening statements from the ‘For’ and ‘Against’ Party representatives, before calling any witnesses and seeing evidence.”  
Both sides had given brilliant statements; there was no doubt about it. It was also clear on who was on the ‘For’ side of this... whether they remain that way, is another thing, the same could be said for those on the ‘Against’, but that was doubtful. Many of the persons on the ‘Against’ side of the Law had been that way for a very, very long time.  
Once the representatives had finished, the first person to be called up was Auror Alastor Moody, the one who led the investigation with Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt.  
He was questioned and hammered. Not once did Moody give the show of being afraid, if anything he was strong and confident and sure.  
“And who was it that first approached you that gave you the breakthrough you needed?” asks Amelia Bones, who was the representative for the ‘Against’ team.  
“That would be Lord Severus Snape, ma’am.”  
“And how did Lord Snape contact you? Was the Lady Snape aware of this happening?”  
“He contacted me via owl. I believe Lady Snape was aware, I wouldn’t have spoken to her two days after receiving the letter, otherwise.”  
“Objection! Witness is speculating!” spoke the ‘For’ representative, Dwight Upton.  
This went on for a while, Dwight kept wanting to really question the facts that were being put forward by Moody, especially when the questions turned toward Sparrow’s Memory Recollection and of the ones he collected from the Accused, including the Former Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge and former Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Chief of Wizengamot and Order of Merlin First Class, Albus Dumbledore.  
Moody stayed calm and didn’t back down, he didn’t lose his temper, nor gave any clue that he was ticked off.  
The entire morning was spent on Aurors and Healers being questioned.  
No evidence or recordings had been shown.  
A two hour break had been called, but not before requesting for Lady Sparrow Pandora Snape to prepare herself to be called to the stand, along with two other girls.  
“So soon?” Lucius remarks when they, (he, Narcissa, Draco, Severus and Sparrow), had found a quiet little room with a table and comfortable lounge like chairs, where food was served, and talk in privacy.  
“Mad-Eye Moody did forewarn us that Sparrow may be called on the first day,” said Severus.  
“Why?” Draco asks. “Wouldn’t it have been better to have waited until like day 3 or something?”  
“Not always the case, Draco, by the way this seems to be going,” Lucius answers.  
Sparrow didn’t speak during the exchange of words, she had also lost her appetite, and only nibbled at the food she was served. She was allowed to be, but when Severus walked her to the room where she would be led to by Kingsley, he gave her words of encouragement and, hopefully, comfort, before letting her go.  
Nerves were pulsating throughout her body; her heart thumped like it was going to leap right out of her chest. Sparrow did her best to get her breathing under control, slowly in, and slowly out, slowly in and slowly out.  
Kingsley spoke to her; she was trying to comprehend his words. She did hear him say she was to be first to the stand of the three girls. He also explained that the evidence that have been given by her and of some others would be presented.  
“Why didn’t they show any of it earlier?” she found herself asking.  
“It was a decision made by the Judge and a select few who are privy to such handling over cases, including this one.”  
When given the signal Kingsley leads Sparrow to the stand.  
It took everything within her to not bolt. Too many eyes, especially his!  
She knew Severus and the Malfoys were back in their reserved seats, she did her best to take comfort in this.  
“Please state your full name for the court,” the Judge requests.  
“Sparrow Pandora Snape.  
“Date of birth?”  
That near threw her off, as none of the others had been asked this. She could just see Severus and Lucius looking at each other with equal frowns of concern.  
“14 July 1990,” Sparrow does say.  
“Thank you, you may question the witness,” says the Judge.  
“You were once known as Honey Michelle were you not?” Amelia Bones asks.  
“Yes.”  
“Why did you change your name?”  
“Because I found out that Sparrow is my real name, not Honey,” Sparrow replies, her hands were clutching tightly, trying not to tremble.  
“How did your husband, Lord Snape, take to this change in name? I mean, at the time, he did own you?” Dwight Upton interjects – which he has done a lot throughout the entire questioning of the witnesses so far.  
Sparrow looks at him, she didn’t like him at all, and he made her afraid, with his towering figure and hardened face. But she gives her answer; “I wouldn’t be with my name Sparrow; I’d still be Honey if he didn’t support it.”  
“How did you come by this discovery?” Ms Bones asks her with a firm, but respectful tone.  
“When my own memory of my mother came through and addressed me as Sparrow. Later, my birth certificate was found and on it was my real name.”  
Ms Bones produces a laminated parchment and asks; “Would this be the certificate? Can you clarify if I am allowed to approach and show you, and then showing the judge, before showing the rest of the courtroom?”  
“You may approach to show the witness,” says the Judge.  
Sparrow is shown the parchment; it was beautifully decorated with outlines of little sparrows with light blue and light purple flowers. The writing was neat and uniform with a slight curvature;

_Surname: Dumbledore_  
_Given Names: Sparrow Pandora_  
_Sex: Female_  
Date of Birth: 14 July 1990  
Place of Birth: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland 

_Mother:_  
Surname: Dumbledore  
Maiden Name: Malfoy  
_Given Names: Kynthia Electra_  
Date of Birth: 6 July 1976  
Place of Birth: Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England 

_Father:_  
Surname: Dumbledore  
Given Names: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian  
_Date of Birth: 29 August 1891  
Place of Birth: Mould-on-the-Wold, England, Great Britain_

_Marriage of Parents_  
Date of Marriage: 4 November 1989  
Place of Marriage: N/A 

The rest was the officials who signed and sealed the certificate as being authentic and truth and ensuring Sparrow’s birthright and legitimacy of her birth to legally wedded parents.  
“Can you confirm if this is your birth certificate?”  
Sparrow goes to nod.  
“Speak up, please.”  
“Y-yes, I can confirm this is mine.”  
“How can we be sure that this isn’t false?” Mr Upton speaks up.  
Ms Bones was now approaching the Judge, who took the certificate, scanned it, before handing it back to Ms Bones with a nod.  
This gave Ms Bones the motion to speak; “Because of the results that were given from the tests it was placed through to ensure its authenticity. This certificate is the real deal. Giving clear evidence the witness is who she says she is, plus lining up the connection of the case of Kynthia Malfoy’s abduction and murder, which is also part of this trial, as many others that are attached to this, as you will hear from other witnesses who have stepped forwards to expose the light and truth of what has been going on all over these years.  
“Even more as to how the practice of the Marriage Law had been allowed to keep going, despite the supposed drop in girls being handed over to be lined up to be married for the sole purpose to breed... or worse... be given a death sentence if they fail to become pregnant.” She turns to Sparrow and asks her; “Were you aware of the implant that had been placed within you?”  
“Not until I found myself in hospital, I didn’t,” Sparrow answers.  
“Was your husband, Lord Snape, aware of the implant that could have killed you?”  
“Not until the Healers told him.”  
Mr Upton speaks up; “How can you not know? Surely there would have been some clue your body would have given to tell you that you had something foreign inside your uterus?”  
“I didn’t know what it was put there, there have been a number of times where everything was blurry and when I ask, I was punished for ‘sleeping in’ or falling asleep in the middle of the day. I wasn’t allowed to know anything on what was normal and what wasn’t while I was in the Boarding House.,” Sparrow replies, once more feeling herself wanting to bolt, trying to keep her breathing under control.  
The questions kept coming and she answered as best as she could with them. Some of the evidence of her own Memory Recall was shown.  
“And what of your husband, Lord Severus Snape, has he influenced your decision to be here today?” Mr Upton questions Sparrow.  
“What do you mean?”  
“I mean, he took a great risk in contacting whoever he needed to contact, rather convenient he manages to get the right people... and not long after you were close to your death, which he caused by sealing his ownership as is the way of the Marriage Law and the traditions and practices involved. Surely, without him, you wouldn’t even be allowed to be here, as at the time he did own you.”  
“He didn’t influence me.”  
“No? So... you, out of your own free will, asked your husband to press these false claims against some of the accused, one of whom being, as we have discovered, your own father, and he just let you speak to the Aurors who’ve been against the fine traditions of this Law?”  
Sparrow didn’t know how to answer, she was getting too anxious.  
“Lady Snape, I am asking you a question,” says Mr Upton.  
“I just wanted answers to why things had happened; I didn’t know that I was even going to press charges back then. I had the support of my husband to do so.”  
“You do realise that without your husband and his say so, you wouldn’t have been able to have been here in the first place?”  
Sparrow looks at Mr Upton, for the first time since being on the stand, looking rather steely in her eye; “And without my husband I wouldn’t be here talking to you! I wouldn’t have been dead and that man would have gotten away with another murder!” She points right at Albus Dumbledore, where he was seated behind the panel. “So if you’re going to try and spin it so it will be in your favour, please don’t use me as your example! Or my husband!”  
“It is clear that you also display deep affection for the man you were forced to marry,” Mr Upton smirks. “Perhaps the Marriage Law isn’t so wrong, if it’s making affectionate young wives for men who couldn’t find a woman to warm his bed at night.”  
“Your Honour, this is only one case and example!” Ms Bones protests. “There are plenty of cases where such unions are not in the favour of anyone, especially the girls and any children they do bear.”  
“I am going to agree with Ms Bones on this, Mr Upton,” says the Judge. “I am also ceasing all questions for the witness for now. You may go Lady Snape.”  
Sparrow was led to the little room, where she was able to sit down, she felt zapped and mentally exhausted. She also felt her cheeks had become wet, she didn’t even know she had been crying, when did she start the tears? Was it on the stand? Just now?  
Familiar hands rested on her shoulders, as Severus kneels in front of her. Sparrow places her head against his shoulder and just allowed herself to be held.  
“I am so very proud of you, Sparrow,” he tells her.  
“I thought I messed up,” she sniffs a little.  
“No! You held on with whatever strength you had to keep going up there. You also told that fuckwit, Dwight Upton, to fuck off in the nicest way you could possibly get. I don’t think I had ever heard that tone coming out of you, until just then. He backed off a little, even with his trying to claw back.”  
“Do you mind if I just stayed in here? I don’t want to be back in the gallery right now.”  
Severus kisses her on the cheek. “If you want to me stay with you, I will.”  
“Yes, please.”  
And so he did.

###

The other two girls, who had been called to the stand, one at a time, gave their answers and whatever else, along with the evidence where needed.  
Many of the audience were stunned by what they had seen and heard, as if they hadn’t been when they heard the Lady Snape speak and the Memory Recalls that were shown, along with other physical evidence, including chastity belts and so one. These two girls didn’t have the implanted vial like Sparrow had, but they had to bear other pains. One of them had the clear indication of being severely abused in the two years she had been with her husband.  
“He even forced me to lose the baby I was carrying for him because he found out it was a girl! He beat me in the stomach until I lost her!” she sobs.  
The other girl was forced to have sex with her husband’s friends... one memory recall included Cornelius Fudge and Albus Dumbledore.  
As soon as they both learned of the suspension and were given the option to leave, they were both nearly killed by their husbands.  
“Are you both now safe?” Ms Bones had asked them both when it came to their turn.  
“Safer than I had been in two years,” said the first girl.  
“I’ve been trapped for five years, Miss, five! Words cannot even describe to you how much I never want to be found again! I would kill myself if I had to go back!” said the second with earnest.  
This concluded the first day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had changed the years around to fit. Plus I had to take a wild guess with Dumbledore's day of birth, as it only says "Late August" which makes him a Virgo... I wanna cry with this fact.


	14. Crimes of the Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Accused are exposed...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I must also warn that some pretty shocking stuff lies ahead in this chapter, so be aware if you wish to proceed. If you don't wish to read, skip ahead when the next chapter is eventually posted.**

Chapter Fourteen  
Crimes of the Law

 

Day Two of the Trial against the Marriage Law and the alleged Crimes Committed;

Day two didn’t take place until three days later.  
Sleep didn’t come easy for Sparrow the night before, plus the bombardment of questions she had gotten within the courtroom from reporters that had been waiting to speak to her like a swarm of flies to a carcass.  
It wasn’t as thrilling going back, but she had to. Today, they were going to question the accused, and reveal to all on what had been recorded during the interrogation interviews.  
First to be called was a Keeper of the Boarding House where Sparrow once resided, Corinne O’Dea.  
What was shown was enough to cause many to look away, or watch with sheer horror on what she was doing and saying. Sparrow had to bury her face into her hands with a few of them, because they were of her and some other girls, the flashbacks to some of those moments hard to relive. The second in charge, Peggy Bedford, was just as nasty, if anything she helped Corinne with some of the ‘punishments’ they had set upon the girls within their care.  
Forcing them to hold themselves whenever they needed to go the bathroom, and if they had an accident, they were beaten severely for disobedience. If any of the girls were caught trying to learn something they weren’t allowed to learn, like in Sparrow’s case, trying to learn how to read, they were whipped, or closed up for long periods of time, or forced to look at food... but not touch it, those were just the tip of the iceberg of the evil they had carried out.  
So many of the accused were called up and questioned and exposed. However, Mr Upton would do his best to try and save their bacon, but it clearly wasn’t enough, not after the people of the gallery have seen for themselves just how this Marriage Law was even able to be kept going!  
Girls were being kidnapped and raped and once they birth a daughter the poor young mother has her baby ripped away from her, before being killed in some way, be she smothered by a pillow, or drugged, or simply forced to take her own life. There were a few, Kynthia Malfoy being one of them, who were forced to ‘willingly’ marry, for other purposes, so they were kept alive a little longer to be allowed to have some bond with their child, before they are eventually killed and the child is taken away.  
Boy babies... any boys born weren’t kept. Mothers were forced to watch as their baby boy was being killed right in front of them, a ‘punishment’ for failing to produce girls. The torment of watching their own sons being thrown in fires, drowned and worse...  
Narcissa couldn’t help but wrap her arms around her own son, Draco didn’t stop her. Many mothers who had sons were holding them in some shape of form. Even fathers. Sparrow had tears down her cheeks, but they were almost nothing compared to when Albus Dumbledore was called to the stand...

###

A young man with auburn hair and brilliant blue eyes stalks a young girl; she couldn’t be more than ten years old, maybe eleven. She was playing and giggling near his home in Godric’s Hollow. He somehow coaxes the girl to follow him to a quiet, secluded place, where he convinces her to play a little game, where she was willing to play.  
He was gentle and made her not suspect a thing; that was until he parted her naked legs and pushed his hardened manhood right into her, where she screamed and squirmed on how much it hurt. He didn’t let her go until he was done; he threatened to not say a word, showing him his wand and a little spell that made a leaf next to her turn into a spider that crawled right to her.  
The little girl was in tears, but promised not to say a thing. She would become one of this young man’s favourite ‘play things’. Of course he had ‘girlfriends’, ones who would ‘help’ him, but he wasn’t interested in keeping a long term commitment. But he did want to find that one girl who would be perfect for his quest for an Heir, a female Heir!  
He was just as nasty during his school years... then he began to teach... no-one would suspect a thing... nope... not one thing, as he started seducing the young female students and keeping them silent... if any of them were to fall pregnant, that girl would mysteriously disappear for a while, he would hide them away, deep within the school castle, behind a portrait of the Hogwarts Coat-of-Arms, where it opened up to a simple drop of his blood, only those who had his blood within their veins could make this framed painting open up, (if they knew); unless he gave special permission and they had a different way to get in, but he has to know about that they are going to show up, first.  
On the other side of the portrait was a little hallway that led to an open area of sorts, where couches, a fireplace and even a kitchenette was located, there were two hallways, both of them leading to rooms and bathrooms.  
The girls would be held here, some under illusion spells, some not, but all had the same predicament, they were all here because they had become pregnant with his seed and he couldn’t allow these girls to expose him, but he wasn’t going to let some potential babies go to waste either, especially girls... boys, however... well...  
The girls would come and go, each of them producing a baby, unless they miscarry or have a premature birth for one reason or another, some of them losing their pregnancy at his own hands. He would find a way to find out if they were carrying a boy or a girl, those who were carrying boys all found themselves either losing the baby, or losing their lives in the process. Those with girls, they were allowed to live and carry on with the pregnancy. Some were allowed a few months with their children and name them. But these never last, for he knew that the girls had to ‘reappear’ and the daughters couldn’t exist, being that they were ‘bastards’, but bastards made good stock for ‘Brides’ in the Boarding Houses, and some of them will become ‘Tainted’ a good source of ‘income’ for the Keepers to be able to maintain a certain upkeep that the houses required.  
Or some much loved kickbacks, as the money was ‘under the table’ in ways. It also gave the young man, (who was getting older and with more influence over the community, many not at all being the wiser), a good excuse to carry out his fantasies... the same ones he carried out on his own sister, before she died...  
He committed other crimes on top of that. Fraud, forgery, illegal handling of animals, goods and perjury, mass murder... and put that on the one and only Voldemort, when the Dark Lord had nothing to do with those deaths... plus the biggest fact that Voldemort was strongly opposed to rape, he would go as far as torture his Death Eaters if they were found guilty of molesting someone against their will.  
Then came on his deeds the for girls who had disappeared, he wasn’t alone in this, he had other culprits involved, the deeds done were horrific, but he didn’t let them touch one girl in particular, though, no, she was carrying something precious, something that had been so successfully concealed that her own family had no idea.  
One by one the three other girls were taken out of their holding apartment, where they ended up, it was no place good, and especially for the Hufflepuff who was found by her family in pieces around their home.  
The only one to remain was the beautiful white blonde with grey eyes... and all that followed after that, from forcing her to give birth early to their daughter, whom he wanted to name Pandora, for reasons he didn’t wish to give, but because of his twisted sense of ‘love’ allowed ‘Sparrow’ to be the first name.  
The events after that were linked to what had been viewed during other connected Memory Recalls; including some of Sparrow Snape’s...  
“It hurts! Grandfather! Please! I’ll be good, just... pleeeeaaaasssse STOP!”

###

Tears were streaming down her cheeks; Severus had placed one arm around Sparrow and didn’t stop her from looking away leaning into him, even helping her by covering her ears as best as possible, as she was already trying to block some of the unpleasant sounds out. Her eyes squeezed shut.  
Lucius Malfoy broke into tears, watching what happened from Sparrow’s point of view was one thing, but seeing it from the man who had many once believing he was a Saint... the fear, the pain and trying to protect her daughter with a mother’s fierceness. Kynthia didn’t seem to care how her child came to be, this was her daughter, and the many times she stood up if she felt Sparrow was in danger...  
What caused the hurt even more was there was not a single shred of remorse on Albus Dumbledore’s face. Not for any of it. Not even when he drugged Sparrow and some of the other girls to carefully insert, with delicate use of magic, so is to keep a certain important membrane intact, the tiny vials that will lie in wait within the uterus, until it was triggered by her first intake of semen, thinking it was the prized egg. Not for ‘raping’ his own Heiress, not for covering up the crimes committed by Fudge, Montague and others.  
The Judge made the decision then and there that in a fortnight the verdicts and final decisions will be made, having had enough of what had been seen. There will still be enough time for statements, and so on to be heard from both sides, but the Judge didn’t want to have this dragged on for too long.  
“Adjourned!”

###

Sparrow didn’t feel up to talking when they got home, Severus understood.  
Today had taken its toll and Sparrow had cried on and off after Albus Dumbledore’s full frontal exposure. She nearly went into a form of freeze when the reporters went to try and swarm her again, Severus and Narcissa stayed on either side of her, Lucius in front and Draco at the rear.  
Lucius was the one who did the talking, forcing the journalists to focus on him, unless they saw a different target. They weren’t afraid to try and get to Severus, either.  
Sparrow just crawls on to the bed, not caring about the fact that she was still in her travel cloak and nice robes, and grabs one of the pillows and just lies down.  
Severus removes his cloak and shoes before going over, helps in taking her shoes off, and then curling up behind her.  
Not a word was spoken, as they just lied there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a rather short chapter, as for some reason it felt completed to move to the next.  
> Again, doing such a scene that involves a court isn't something I've done before, so this is written to the best I can go.


	15. Words and Actions Matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sparrow has gotten doubts of her existence and Severus helps her to try and understand.  
> Plus a discovery that will shake Severus to the core.

Chapter Fifteen  
Words and Actions Matter

 

It was somewhere after midnight when they both woke to find that they were still in their clothing from the day before. It was fair to say that the proceedings from the day before had worn them out and neither had realised they’d even fallen asleep.  
Sparrow grimaced a little, her head was pounding.  
“Are you okay?” Severus speaks softly.  
“Slight headache,” she answers.  
Severus sits up and leans over to the bedside table, it didn’t surprise Sparrow anymore that he would have all sorts of potions and items in there, including something to help with her head.  
He also made a call for one of the House Elves to bring up some food.  
The pounding subsided very quickly.  
Silence ensued again for a few moments.  
“I still don’t understand,” Sparrow then says.  
“Still don’t understand what, my sweet?”  
“Why? I still don’t understand why? Why he chose my mother? Why he chose you for me? Why would he, despite him needing an Heir, want to kill me? I don’t understand what purpose I was even meant to serve, except for one, and I nearly got killed because that didn’t happen. Why am I here? What was I born for? I feel useless with no meaning.”  
Severus coaxes Sparrow to move on to his lap and held her, wiping the stray tears.  
“You are not useless and whatever he planned for you clearly wasn’t what happened. He chose me for you because he thought I’d be his puppet, and treat you the way he did, at least that is a theory. I don’t know of any others, except for him wanting the get a hold of the Prince wealth and properties, but in order to that, I would have to be the one to die for him to get a hold of it, not you.  
“I don’t know what his intentions were, or are. I am unsure if I can get a hold of such information. But the truth of the matter is this,” he gets her to look at him, her blue eyes right into his onyx eyes, not at all thinking they were from the man who sired her, for they did have the slightest shade of grey within the brilliant shade, if one knew how to look. “You matter more than you are probably realising right now. You matter to Lucius, he found out what had happened to his sister and found you, the child he knew she had. He gained a niece, in turn Draco has a cousin,” he smiled when he adds, “And Narcissa has pretty much adopted you as a surrogate daughter.”  
This did make Sparrow smile a little.  
“ _You matter to me!_ ” Severus continues. “I didn’t expect things to turn the way they did, as I have said before. But you can sure as bet that regardless of how our relationship turned, I still would have made sure you were cared for and felt like you were a person with a heart, a brain and a soul. That your feelings were just as valid as mine. That you were heard!  
“ _You_ matter, Sparrow! You are _not_ useless! Never have been and never will be. You matter, not because I love you, though I do, very, very much, you matter because you deserve to be acknowledged and cherished. You matter because you _do!_  
“Never, ever let anyone else tell you otherwise! Never let that, that _**bastard**_ make you believe you are anything less! For I won’t allow you to, because I know deep down in here and here you know what I am saying is truth.” Severus pointed to her forehead and her heart, before cradling her tightly.  
Sparrow rested her head against his collar bone and chest area, she still had wet cheeks, but her tears were no longer flowing. Severus was the first real good thing to have happened to her, no, not true, her mother was, but it was Severus, who reminded her that there was such a thing as being worthy.  
She mattered to him! She mattered!  
“Thank you, Severus,” her natural soft tone whispers, but loud enough for him to hear.  
“You are welcome, my Little Sparrow.”

###

The news of Albus Dumbledore and his collaborators and their many crimes shook many to the to the core. The Daily Prophet was in a flurry of trying cover every single angle of what had been exposed.  
Unfortunately, it didn’t sway certain people to change their view on the Marriage Law. Threats toward Sparrow had escalated the very day after Albus Dumbledore’s crimes were shown. Some calling for Severus Snape to end his marriage to the ‘disobedient little bitch’ and ‘hand her over’ to be punished for speaking out of turn.  
“Yes, what Dumbledore did was nasty. So did the Keepers and whoever else. But it was never like that before! Why get rid of something that has worked in keeping our numbers flowing?” this was from a fellow Professor at Hogwarts the very day Severus arrived back to start the new semester as Potions Master.  
Severus glowered at Professor Vector, the Arithmancy teacher.  
“Perhaps if we started handing over some of the girls within the school and force them to be nothing more than breeding stock...” he started to say.  
“But those a free girls!” Professor Vector tried to reason.  
“You’re a sick woman!” Severus snaps before turning on his heal to leave.  
“At least I know I would have the balls to backhand my wife for speaking up against a great man!” Vector calls.  
A wand whips around and Professor Vector was sent flying back into the wall.  
“Ever threaten my wife, or question my stance on how I handle my marriage to the girl I value, I will make sure you will regret it! You forget who is the more dominant between you and I, so don’t you dare test me!” Severus’s voice was very, very dangerous.  
Vector spoke no more. At least not to Severus...

Pretty soon it became clear on who was on the same side as Severus, and who was not, he had been receiving threats via mail and so on that very evening. He discovered that Professor Septima Vector had started the campaign to have Professor Severus Snape sacked, because he deliberately attacked her for no good reason and whatever other garbage.  
Of course, not all were threats; some were in support for Sparrow and the others who had spoken up. He kept those ones. He knew how to open letters without using his hands, he also knew how to test them before touching them, because who knew what sort of spells, powders and whatever else had been put in them. Which ones were threats, which ones weren’t?  
The Headmistress, Professor Minerva McGonagall became worried. So much so that she had placed a ban on any letters addressed to Severus and Sparrow Snape, making only a list of those who are able to pass. No one needed to know about this, not even the ones who were permitted to keep contact via owl/letter. It certainly helped in reducing the influx of threatening letters.  
Unfortunately, face to face was different.  
Sparrow had joined Severus one day, needing to get out of the Manor, and she went on her own through the castle one night, she knew Severus was staying up late in his office to do his work, she did ask before. She knew she didn’t have to, but sometimes Sparrow still slipped into her old habits, but also she did want him to know where she was.  
“Just be careful, my Sparrow.”  
“I will, Cobra.”

So as she wandered through, keeping her wand a light, she found herself going toward the portrait of the Hogwarts Coat-of-Arms. She knew what was behind it now and she wanted to see with her own eyes, not from fragments of her own memories and that of her father’s.  
Not quite sure how she did it, she managed to make the painting ‘fade’ and allowed her to go through the little passageway that would lead to the open area.  
Though it was squeaky clean, Sparrow could smell the familiar smells that had haunted her and caused her so much unknown pain until now. But also joys, as she remembered her mother’s face. She explored the area, taking in everything, finding what used to be her room.  
Everything was neat and without a speck of dust. Her crib, the change table, even some of the toys. Sparrow walks further in and sees a simple framed photo and picked it up. Within the photo were three people, her mother, who was trying her very best to smile, but Sparrow could see the fear within her grey eyes. A man with thick auburn hair and brilliant blue eyes and thin, but he had this demeanour about him, Sparrow felt a chill going down her spine, knowing that this was her father, the man who would appear like a gentle old man... only to be something else entirely.  
Settled in between, but protective as can be in her mother’s arms, was a very, very small Sparrow. She didn’t know how old she would have been, but she could tell that she was still very, very news.  
From here, she finds a shoe sized box tucked under the little table the framed photo had been. Her heart thumped as she knelt down to slip it out, she then sits cross legged on the floor, she checks for anything that could harm her, just how Severus had shown her. Finding that it was safe, she opened it up and found beautifully sealed envelopes, a few photos of a small white blonde girl and a young woman with the same coloured hair. She saw two locks of hair; one was tied neatly in a soft blue ribbon, the other in a light purple one. When she kept digging, she found a tightly wound up scroll, with blood red and cream coloured ribbons keeping it closed.  
Again she checked for nasties, and came up with nothing.  
She couldn’t help herself, she untied the ribbon and unrolled the parchment carefully and found the words. Some of the words were still unfamiliar to her, but for the most part she could understand what was being written.  
Her hand shot to her mouth, tears started to well; she shoves the parchment into the box and closes the lid and goes to run out with it. Only to find someone blocking her path.

“What have you got there?” the person asks.  
“How did you get in here?” Sparrow demands.  
“Why, I was invited in here a few times, when your father was once headmaster,” said the person, she steps out, showing herself. “He was a very, very good lover. I would help him handle the girls, especially your mother.”  
Sparrow goes to back away from Vector, clutching the box tightly.  
Vector wasn’t alone; she had bought a group of seventh and sixth year boys with her. They started to file into the room.  
Sparrow was surrounded. She had her wand out; she was doing her best to keep her wits. She wasn’t expecting to be taken from behind. Falling to her hands and knees, hard against the floor, dropping the box, which remarkably stayed sealed and keeping the contents held within it.  
She felt herself being frozen, unable to move.  
“If your husband won’t teach you to stay in your place, we will have to do it for him!” Vector nods to the boys.  
“ _No!_ ” Sparrow shouts. “ _No! Don’t! Please! Don’t! **SEVERUS HELP!**_ ”  
She couldn’t see, but she could feel as one of them cuts her knickers off, she could hear the belt unbuckling and the zipper and the tip of a penis starting to tease her, making her go involuntarily wet at the touch of this male sex organ.  
“ _NO!_ ” she screams, tears going down her cheeks, as she could feel the tip about to push its way inside of her. “ _You’re not welcome there! You’re not allowed! I’m not yours! I’m not yours!_ ”  
Sparrow tried to fight against the spell that had her frozen; the tip was nearly all the way in, when a blast of light came out of nowhere. The boy who was going to rape her was suddenly away from her, she heard something breaking behind her, and she felt herself able to move.

A hand lowered down to help her up, she saw that it was Remus Lupin.  
“Let’s get you back to Severus,” he advises.  
Sparrow is helped up to her feet; she grabs the box, and saw Vector and the young men knocked out cold.  
“I have already sent a message to the Headmistress, they will be dealt with,” Lupin says.  
Severus looks up from the work he was doing when he saw the door of his office opening and sees Sparrow and Lupin.  
“What happened?” he asks, knowing immediately something bad had happened from the way Sparrow just ran to him and flew her arms around him, by which his own went around her back.  
“Septime Vector and some of her sheep is what happened,” Lupin tells him. He explained what had happened, including his notifying McGonagall. “I hate to say it, but this may get worse before it gets better.”  
Severus couldn’t help but feel that Lupin may be right. But didn’t wish to say it with Sparrow so close.  
“Thank you,” he says instead to his colleague.  
Lupin gives a respectful nod and leaves, closing the door behind him.  
Severus rubs Sparrow’s back.  
“I’m here, Sparrow, I’m here,” he sooths.  
He abandons the work, waves his wand to move the bookcase that hid the little room with en-suite, picks her up in a cradle hold and carries her to the bed.  
The bookcase slides back once they were inside, and gently he sets her on top of the bed. He slides the shoe sized box from her hands and sets it aside on one of the bedside tables. That can wait.

“Are you hurt?” he asks her.  
Sparrow’s hands and knees ached from where she had landed on the hard floor, they were a little pink. She was no longer with her knickers, though her skirt hid this a little, not that it mattered.  
“Just my hands and knees,” she answers him. “And... and when he was about to... um... it was weird... I didn’t want it, but... I don’t understand why I still wet.”  
Severus carefully explains, knowing Sparrow’s still trying to get a grasp of herself and what her own body does, or even any female would do in certain situations; “Some... some girls... women, wet naturally, whether they wish to or not. It does not in any way mean that you were a willing participant in what they had in mind, because we both know you weren’t.”  
“Then why do they keep chasing me to forcing me to do that?” Sparrow wanted to know. “First it was that game, second time I have no idea, and now...? I don’t understand why they wanted to hurt me. Did I do the wrong thing?”  
“No! Not in a million years! This change, or challenge for a change, was a long time coming, many just didn’t want to see it,” Severus was firm, getting her to look at him. “It’s just the unfortunate side effect, there are those who do not, or will not see it for what it is, or the people who were responsible. You have done nothing wrong! You hear me? Those fools want to take their anger out on people who speak up because they’re cowards and refuse to grow.”  
“I’m tired of it, Severus. I am tired of being chased; I am tired of being hurt because of these people. I want it to stop.”  
Severus kisses her on the forehead. “I know, Little Sparrow. I want it to stop too. We just need hold on for just a little longer. We will know of the verdict and what comes with it in two days, after that... we’ll figure it out, whatever the outcome okay?”  
Sparrow did her best to calm down; “Okay.”  
“May I ask why you decided to go there?” Severus asks, brushing her hair back.  
“I wasn’t at first,” Sparrow replies, “I don’t know why I went to the Coat-of-Arms, at least not until I found myself standing in front of it. I guess I wanted to see for myself, knowing now that I was born in there, in one of those rooms; I think I wanted answers, or something. I didn’t see it all, but I found where my room was, and found that box nearly hidden.”  
Severus peers to the box. “Did you open it?”  
“I did, after checking for anything that might hurt, like you instructed me how to.”  
This did please him to know she took his advice, as he took the box from the night stand and passes it to Sparrow. He shifts to sit beside her more, while she opened the box.  
Right on top was the slightly crumbled parchment from being shoved back inside it.  
“What’s this?” Severus asks.  
“Bad,” Sparrow said, not stopping Severus from taking it to read. “I read what I could understand, and wanted to take it straight to you, but I got stopped.”  
Severus paled a little, then his face was not one wanted to see when he was pissed.  
“Cobra?” Sparrow’s voice was with fear.  
Severus looks at Sparrow, she was terrified because she rarely sees this side of him, unless necessary, but never directed at her. She thought she was in trouble, but that wasn’t it, she was innocent, always has been.  
To find out the real reason Albus Dumbledore sired Sparrow and chose Severus Snape to be the one to marry her was just... sick... truly underlining on just how far the man would go to keep a stronghold and influence, and how evil he truly was.  
“He will never be using us ever again!” Severus speaks calmly, folding the parchment, and putting it in the top draw.  
“He wanted to use me for something bad, didn’t he?” her voice a little cracked, doing her best not to cry again.  
Severus hesitated, he wanted her to know the truth, but he wasn’t sure if she would be ready to handle it, yet.  
“When the right time comes, I will explain,” he tells her. “As much as you wish to know, and I know you’re a very capable young woman, but this is one of those things that you need to be really grounded and ready for.”  
Sparrow knew this wasn’t Severus treating her like a child, if anything he never had; this was him looking out for her and her wellbeing. He had never given her reason to doubt.  
Severus got to see what else was in the box. The photos of Kynthia and Sparrow from when she was a baby to a small toddler. The hair in ribbons, a gold ring with a diamond, the sealed envelopes.  
“Are you going to open these?” Severus inquires.  
“When I am ready to, I will,” Sparrow tells him.  
Severus wraps his arm around the back of her and gently kissed her jaw and neck.  
“I’ll be here when if you need me with you for when you are,” he says.  
Sparrow closes the box and looks at it for a moment, before setting it aside. She was glad she found it, because she knew that it was from her mother. How Kynthia got a hold of that parchment that was now in Severus’s bedside table draw, Sparrow didn’t know, but it was a clue to what she wanted to know.  
What was the sole reason for her to be born at all? She knew it had to do with her father and whatever his plans were. Yet she trusted Severus and his reasons to truly explain what he read and understood, compared to her own knowledge, which she still had a ways to go.  
“How are you feeling now, my sweet?” he asks her.  
“Still confused, but a little better.”  
“Is there anything I can do that might help?”  
Sparrow thought for a moment, before she began to start kissing him on the cheek, jaw, neck, and throat. She directs one of his hands up her thigh, pushing her skirt up.  
“Remind me that I belong to you,” she says in his ear.  
Severus wasn’t sure at first, but he sensed that she needed this reassurance.  
His lips steadily and lovingly began to kiss hers, enticing her gently open her mouth to meet her tongue with his, while carefully undressing her, and allowing her to do the same to him.  
He made sure she was feeling secure, safe and most of all his!  
Free as she was, Sparrow did ‘belong’ to Severus, and she hated it when others try to interfere. Just as Severus ‘belonged’ to her, and ensured this by sinking his manhood inside her vagina, nice and slow, so she would feel him filling her, and stayed like this for a moment or so, kissing her lips and face. Sparrow relished this, forgetting for a while that she had been attacked and violated, Severus was pleased, he listened to what she needed, even when he had a shred of doubt, he still listened, because he trusted and instilled in her to trust herself, and that way she would know.  
(There had times where Severus did know when such things weren’t the case, it was still a learning curb for Sparrow, plus it was human to convince themselves of what would be false).  
By the end of the love making, Sparrow was content, curling up against Severus, her head on his chest, one of his arms around arm, holding her hand with entwined fingers with his other hand. Neither caring that they were lying in their own love juice.  
But as Severus felt Sparrow drifting off, his mind began to wander and think...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a bit of difficulty with this chapter in trying to get it to flow :-/


	16. A Sudden Outburst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Judge as decided...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning, extra 'holy hell' ahead**

Chapter Sixteen  
A Sudden Outburst

 

McGonagall was beyond livid; she sacked Vector and blacklisted her from ever teaching at another school ever again. She knew Durmstrang and Beauxbatons wouldn’t allow for someone like Septima Vector to teach with them after learning what she had done. The Headmaster of Durmstrang, Igor Karkaroff even expressed his deepest disgust when he learned of Dumbledore’s crimes and wished McGonagall the best of luck as Headmistress, as well as looking forward to the friendly rivalry of the Triwizard Tournament.  
As for the boys, or rather young men, they were handed over the Aurors, along with Vector to be dealt with.  
“I know you would have loved to have exercised your right to hurt them, Severus, but at times it is best to let me handle it,” she tells a very frustrated Severus Snape.  
Severus did thank her for ensuring he didn’t do anything stupid, even with his rights.

 

###

Sparrow held Severus’s hand as tightly as she could without cutting off circulation. Many were on tenterhooks right now.  
Words were spoken, the ‘For’ and the ‘Against’ giving their closing statements, before the Judge stood up from his seat and spoke in a clear voice, so that no-one would misunderstand what he was going to say;  
“After much debate, and there have been some good arguments on both sides. I will not doubt on that. However it has come to pass that the Marriage Law has been well and truly out of date and abused for many decades, if not centuries.  
“The suffering has gone on too long. The crimes committed, words cannot even fathom my own sheer disgust. I am not alone on this, and believe me, I did do my best to keep an open mind and see this from both sides, as it is my duty as a Judge to do so. More astounding was the constant harassment and attack upon those who chose to stand up and make us see what has been going on, under our noses, almost unseen.  
“All it took was for one to finally stand up and dare to be heard, others no doubt followed. It is because of the courage of this young lady, and the young ladies who also displayed their own courage, and the backing of many who had worked tirelessly to bring everything into light. We cannot forget what had been shown to us via many methods of evidence.  
“I hereby declare that the Marriage Law is going to be phased out and abolished and changed a little. The reason for the phasing out is to allow for room to adjust. There will be no more Marriages under this law from this day forth, any who try to force individuals be they girl, or man of the age he’s ‘meant to wed’, they will face persecution.  
“I will also declare any who wish to have their marriages annulled, it is done effective immediately, and you will be protected under the new rules. Once we are done here, the Aurors will come and guide you to where you need to go in order to ensure your Marriage is no longer. Your children, if you have, they are in your full custody. However, if you wish to share your custody or whatever arrangements you may have thought of, depending on your circumstances, you will be heard. I am aware that not all husbands have harmed you in any way, or your children, so I made sure that this was fair for everyone involved. Again, Aurors and the DMLE will help and advise you on what you ought to know, and so on.  
“For the ones who wish to stay in your Marriages. They are still legally bound. New rules have been written for the husbands to abide by, including a few extras, you will be given these at the end of the day via owl. You will be asked to sign and seal certain documents to declare your marriage is still valid and placed under the new rules.  
“These will stay in place, even well after the Marriage Law is gone, because they will be gradually placed into the New Rules of Marriage. This is not the same as the Marriage Law, just to be clear. This is to help bring everyone who were married under the Marriage Law into the same to similar line as those who were of a ‘Free Marriage’.”  
The Judge paused to allow for what he had announced to sink in, before continuing;  
“Now, for the verdict of the accused. You are all hereby guilty! You will learn of your punishments within the next twenty-four hours.”

###

Stunned, surreal and relieved. Severus could see these on Sparrow’s face.  
“We did it, my Sparrow,” he whispers, when he pulled her into a firm hug. “We won for you and the others. You’re free of the chains for good. Free to choose your path.”  
Sparrow kisses him on the cheek, before looking at him in the eye.  
“I choose to be with you, Severus. I choose to stay as your wife, if you wish for the same. I choose to cherish and care for you, and to be loyal to you.”  
At this neither seemed to care if anyone saw them in that courtroom, as they kiss for a few long seconds.

###

Moody contacted with Severus and explained what has happened and will be happening since the changes have happened, along with the sentencing and punishments were delivered.  
“Judge Brewer is placing some of the people who’ve harmed your wife into your custody to do as you please with them, if you wish to participate in the allowance for your own punishments to be carried out. It is unorthodox, but Brewer believes that this is one of those rare cases where something more than a prison cell with blank walls is required.”  
“Are there any limitations to these punishments?” Severus asks; he did frown a little at this. He wasn’t at all shy of inflicting pain to those he believed deserved it, no one is going to forget what he did to Tyler for example.  
Moody shakes his head; “This is the only time where limits are not required. The only recommendation is to not kill them straight away. Preferably not at all, if you can manage that. Brewer wishes for them to have a nice dose of karma without bodies, but sometimes that cannot be helped. Not everyone wishes to be involved in the option, which is fair enough, we all deal with such things different.  
“But as said, this is unorthodox. We could have given them all to the Dementors, but that would prove nothing for some. Some genuinely wish for these people to suffer how they suffered, as it may sound contradictory to others.”  
“We are also still very aware of your requests,” Shacklebolt chimes in. “You will know soon if it can be granted or not.”  
Severus perked at this new development; “How soon?”  
“We cannot give a definite answer. But you will know. Just make sure you’re prepared if it is a go ahead.”  
“In the meantime, what would you like to do? Would you like the guilty handed over to you to carry your own justice?”  
“Mute them so they cannot utter a single word, and make it so they cannot move unless commanded to, and send them to the Manor,” Severus answers.  
There was no need to ask what was planned, the Judge made it very clear that the husbands of the ones still had their wives were allowed to carry out their own justice against the persons responsible for the pain and suffering upon them.  
“You will have them within the hour,” said Shacklebolt.

###

Sparrow couldn’t contain her curiosity on what Severus was planning, she was aware of what had been arranged, he did ask if she would be comfortable, for he would select a different location if she wasn’t.  
“I wish to see, Cobra,” she tells him.  
Sparrow was back in the safety of Snape Manor, where she was able to really relax. She even went as far as stripping down to only her bra and knickers – the place was extremely warm, none of the cold was entering this house, and she wanted to feel like she can. Severus was admittedly amused by this, and left her be.  
“Are you sure?”  
She nods.  
Severus leads her, holding her by the hand, to a door that led down to the basement of the Manor. Sparrow had never been down here before. As much as she was allowed to be wherever she like within the Manor, she felt that if she went down here she would be in trouble. Severus puts her mind at ease a little as he opened the door.  
“Now, I know you’ve been unsure of entering this section before. I don’t blame you, for down here...” he trailed off for a moment. “Let’s just say I was a bit adventurous in my late teens to about a year before I met you. I never showed you this side of me, because I didn’t want you frightened and believing I would carry such activities on you, so I gave it up entirely to focus on keeping you safe and secure with me as your husband.”  
His words only spiked Sparrow’s curiosity further, as they started going down the stairs, where it started getting a little dim, before sunlight cracked through narrow windows, but she saw that it was well lit in here, and darkened just right to give off the illusion of a dungeon.  
Not just any dungeon.  
There were all sorts of equipment that she had never seen before, or even knew what some of them were even for.  
Her heart lurched a little at the sight of them. Though she had been told of their being handed over to Severus, and was mentally preparing herself as best as possible, she still felt a little intimidated.  
There were four of them all up.  
One of them was the young men who dared to attack her not too long ago, along with Septima Vector; the Head Keeper of Pure Innocence Boarding House, Corinne O’Dea. Last and the one who had started the infliction upon her life... her father... Albus Dumbledore.  
Upon his conviction, Sparrow had inherited everything that had belonged to him; lands and any properties that were built on them, the Dumbledore fortune and... his wand.  
Though she made sure Aberforth, her Uncle and man who treated her with dignity and family since learning of her being his niece, and also because Albus had changed everything so that only his true sired Heir could even get his fortune, Aberforth wasn’t to get a cent. When Sparrow learned of this, she changed it; because she was legally allowed to since her father’s being stripped off of everything making her the ‘Head of the Dumbledore’ over Aberforth, because of her father’s greed.  
All four were bound in one way or another; the women were tied to simple wooden chairs, as for the young man, whose name is Cyrus Whitney, (a Slytherin, much to Severus’s disgust when he found out), and Dumbledore were handcuffed above their heads to chains that were dangling from the ceiling, where their toes just touched the ground, and their ankles anchored with ball and chain.  
None of them were able to speak, nor able to move, though they were bound to their traps. They were also all blindfolded.  
“What are you actually planning on doing to them?” Sparrow asks.  
“Make them hurt, mostly,” Severus tells her calmly. “Whether you wish to witness what happens, is up to you.” He then whispers into her ear; “If you are comfortable, and wish to learn my family’s history, and their role used to be before certain changes were put in place or even some more of mine before we met, you are welcome to stay, even participate. You know I will never force you into doing anything you don’t want to do, or might cause you grief.”  
“I know, Severus.”  
He gave her hand a light squeeze, before walking over and stood in the middle of the two neat rows he had placed them in, but making it so they could see their fellow inmates, for with a wave of his wand, Severus had the blindfolds removed.  
“Take a really, really good hard look, because this will be your home for a while. If any of you know of the old history of the Prince Household, then you would have a good idea on what you will be in for. For those who may not, I will give you a clue. Once upon a time, before Azkaban was a thing, and the use of Dementors, every family within the Wizard society had a role of sorts. The Greengrass Household were once known for their talent in producing plants and the sort for potions and other properties; the Ollivander Household for wand making. Even the Dumbledores once had their place, as advisors to Royalty and some even Knights and Ladies of the Royal Court, and given titles that are known to Muggles, Baron, Earl or Count, even going as high as Duke.  
“The Prince House were known not only as having the same status as the Dumbledore Family, but were also well known as respected for their ways of dishing out punishment and justice. They were good at prying out the truths and finding out the deepest darkest of secrets of those who needed to be exposed. Very rarely did they make a mistake when they were given the prisoner for questioning... or reprimand.  
“Even well after the statute to secrecy, they were allowed to continue their practice for as long as possible. On the rare occasion, after Azkaban was in place, the Prince name got to be heard again. Though now the Prince name is via blood, and turned to the name Snape, the tradition gets to live once again for this occasion.”  
Dumbledore’s eyes widened. He was unable to make or utter a single sound because his mouth was sealed shut by a powerful spell that stops any and all voice noises from escaping. The other three had no idea, but from the expressions on their faces, they knew that they were in BIG trouble right now.  
“You four were handed me because you dared to either decide to not heed my warning, or your crimes were so heinous that not even the Judge knew what to do with you. He also knew there is still a need for answers,” Severus continued; “Believe me; you will be spilling out more that what some of you have displayed for the courtroom.”  
Without wasting any more precious time, Severus went over to a table with various instruments and potions, and selected two little vials of green coloured potion and approached the two women. Not uttering a word, he forces them to drink.  
Sparrow quietly observes, seeing Corinne and Vector breaking into a sweat or full blowed fear.  
“They are being forced to ‘live’ within the Boarding House, experience what had been inflicted upon you and the other girls. They are here in the physical form, but they will think, feel, even smell as though what their mind is being forced to believe is reality,” Severus explained. “It will go on for at least an hour, but for them, it will feel much, much longer.”  
“Like a virtual reality?” Sparrow enquires.  
Severus nods; “Without the bonus points, extra lives and certainly with the ability to feel everything, where as I think in a virtual reality game you cannot feel.”  
“Are you going to do the same for them?” Sparrow asks, looking over at Cyrus and Dumbledore.  
“No, not straight away; this is perhaps where I am going to warn that some of what you may witness may cause you distress. You know you are free to leave at any time if it gets too much. You can even leave now, if you prefer,” Severus warns, as he takes up a whip.  
Sparrow thought about it, as curious as she still was, she did understand now what her husband intended to do, she also had some better understanding of the Prince lineage and their strong heritage, and why they made sure Severus, the of their bloodline at this point, would gain everything when he came into age seventeen. While Severus never understood the sole reason for his mother’s choice of husband, his father, Tobias, he knew that the Prince name still had weight in the Wizard World; it just isn’t as showy as others, Severus preferring to remain a quiet powerhouse, unless necessary to step forwards.  
“Do what you you’re planning, I’ll be upstairs waiting,” she then tells him, before kissing him and turning to leave for the exit.  
Severus walks over to Dumbledore, and rounds to stand a slight distance behind the older man. He uses his wand and causes the fabric on the back of Dumbledore’s robes to rip open and expose bare skin, (for a man over one hundred, he looked pretty good, though age had wrinkled him a little).  
Waiting for a bit, hoping that Sparrow had reached the stairs and exited, Severus pulls his hand back, bearing the whip, and with quick movement, flicks it.  
Dumbledore flinched and moved to the lick of sudden pain. He couldn’t scream, as another thrash of agony unleashed through him. Severus only gives him four, he gives the same number to Cyrus, before going back over to select something different to use...

###

Later that evening, Sparrow worked up the courage to go back down to the basement. Quietly, she followed her footsteps to where the guilty were. The women were still in the chairs and the men still hanging by their arms via the chain attached to the ceiling.  
In her hand was a wand, as she approached the man she wanted to face.  
Albus Dumbledore was ragged looking, his clothing torn to shreds, bleeding and bruised. He could barely hold his head up, when he saw someone coming closer to him. His brilliant blue eyes slowly gaze to see the girl he had sired.  
“You are going to answer my questions. You will answer them truthfully, if you do not...” Sparrow holds up the wand.  
Dumbledore’s glared at her and tried to spring forward from his bondages, only to be unsuccessful. Sparrow was standing where he couldn’t touch her, plus she was armed with the wand that saw her worthy to wield it, over the previous owner.  
With a careful movement of her wrist, Dumbledore found the spell to keep him quiet had been lifted, but in its place, something else took over. His body started to tingle, similar to pins and needles.  
“I learned how to use this charm via the many lessons Severus had taught me. Tell the truth, and all you get is the prickling sensation. However, if you speak false, the feeling will become excruciating.”  
“What makes you think I will answer you?” Dumbledore asks, defiantly.  
He clenched his teeth, and did his best to breathe through the sudden stabbing feel throughout his entire being.  
“That is why.”  
Dumbledore glared again.  
“Why did you need me, only to try and kill me? Why was I born?” Sparrow didn’t waste time.  
Dumbledore was going to resist, but grunted in pain. “I needed an Heir and a continuum to my bloodline.”  
“But you put that thing inside of me and it nearly killed me!”  
Dumbledore cut right to the chase, as Sparrow will only torture him more with that spell she was putting on him... with his old wand of all things!  
“You were never going to die, Pandora... at least not straight away. You were going to slip into a coma and when no one was looking I was going to find you and switch souls, where yours will go into this old thing, while mine will glide straight into yours!” he declared to her, without a suggestion of remorse in his eyes or tone. “Right before the switch I would drink a potion that would render the drinker mute within the first two to three minutes of taking it, giving enough time for the soul switch. You, still being unconscious when it happens wouldn’t have been aware and will have caused this vessel to just drop, and by the time we may have been discovered, you would have been dead, while I, being you, would have woken from the coma and continue living life with Severus... until at least five years... long enough to use your body to bring forth children to ensure that the Dumbledore line continues on, and replenishes once more.”  
Sparrow stares at her father with disbelief. “Why? You could have produced a male and continued that way. And why Severus?”  
“Because he has been after me since the day I was born,” said a voice from behind Sparrow.  
She turns to see Severus standing there. His dark eyes with pure hate upon the older man.  
“He wanted to have the last Prince by blood at his side. But he also needed a way to ensure that his bloodline continued too, and also created ties with another prominent Household name, so he decided to select the Malfoy bloodline to mix with.  
“What he hadn’t counted on was my protectiveness of you the moment I laid eyes on you during our first meet, which continued on even though you weren’t officially belonging to me yet. He also wasn’t counting on my cutting any communication between you and him, using me as a go between if he needed to pass on any messages. He didn’t count on a lot of factors, believing that he had it made.”  
Sparrow looks at Severus. “You mean... I was just born for my body? I didn’t matter? Is that what the words meant in that scroll?”  
Severus carefully rests his hands on Sparrow’s shoulders and keeps his eyes on her, though he knew Dumbledore was watching.  
“Yes,” he tells her, but he wasn’t finished. “That was his plan for you... and why he chose me for you.”  
Hot tears streamed down Sparrow’s cheeks, anger was just bubbling, it was plain as day on her face.  
Without even giving a hint of a warning, she takes the little dagger she saw in Severus’s belt, before he knew what she was doing, and whirls on to Dumbledore, and started screaming.  
“I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I WANT YOU DEAD! I FUCKING WANT YOU TO DIE! I HATE YOU!”  
She was blinded by her black and red vision and blurring tears, as she felt her hands turning wet and sticky, but kept pounding her hand, until she felt her grip on the dagger relinquishing and arms going round her waist to pull her away.  
Sparrow fought against these arms, wanting to keep attacking this man who had caused her so much pain, but they were too strong of a grip around her. She felt herself being placed on a mattress, and someone holding her down.  
“Sparrow!” she heard him say.  
Hearing him... her husband... it snapped her out of the flurry of red and black. She saw that her hands were covered in blood; she was breathing hard and looking around. Severus had put her on a mattress that was in the section of the basement that held the guilty. He was holding her by the wrists and gently straddling her to lightly use some of his bodyweight to stop her from breaking loose until she stopped her frenzy.  
“Severus?”  
She saw the limp body, arms still stretched above it; blood dripping down on to the floor. Though she couldn’t see exactly what she had done, because Severus placed her in a spot where she couldn’t, she knew...  
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Severus! I’m sorry for what I did! I’m sorry for being a mistake!”  
Severus shifts to lie next to her and pull her right into his arms. Sparrow’s entire body was shaking.  
“You are not mistake,” he said, strongly and firmly. “You are my Little Sparrow! The biggest mistake made was the bastard believing that you weren’t of worth. You were born for more than you body, Sparrow. You have a brain, one with the most beautiful of imaginations that spring forth when you start to create something. You have your emotions, your inner strength. You also have a beautiful heart.  
“You are not the mistake here, my Sparrow. He was.”  
“But I didn’t know I was going to do that! I’m sorry!”  
“Don’t be,” he tells her, gently putting the tip of his nose against her nose tip and rubbed them together for a moment, before kissing her lips. “But I did have to stop you before you hurt yourself.”  
“Is he dead?”  
“I don’t know. I was too busy tearing you away so you didn’t hurt yourself,” Severus replies. “But I will be getting in contact with Moody and Shacklebolt and I will be checking him over, to see whether he is still alive or not.”  
“What do I do?”  
Severus thought for a moment.  
“Come with me,” he then says, gently helping her up and leading her out of the basement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was unexpected, I had her just bashing Dumbledore senseless when she found out in my head. Totally different outcome.
> 
> But the Question is this... is Dumbledore dead or alive?


	17. Cocky No More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus is far from done...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning, even more extra 'holy hell' ahead**

Chapter Seventeen  
Cocky no more...

 

Sparrow allowed Severus to take care of her. Helping her undress, he too undressed and joined her in the shower, his hands gentle as ever when they went over her body and hands to rid of any trace of blood. He would speak his words to her, knowing the tricks to get her to calm.  
She slips selects a simple nightie and once it was on, Severus helps tuck her into bed, where he brings the television down and turns on the cartoons and shows that would help lighten the mood on what has happened. Not to dismiss, but allow it to process and get through.  
“I have asked the House Elves to bring up a glass of wine for you and some food; I will rejoin you once I’ve contacted Moody and checked on the guilty.”  
Severus gives Sparrow the remote and a soft kiss before leaving to do what had to be done.  
He sent a very quick message of sorts via owl, and went down to the basement.  
The first thing he noticed was Cyrus, Vector and Corinne, they were all still in a state of shock to what they had witnessed, especially Corinne, who was just as responsible for Sparrow and her torture.  
“Be grateful it wasn’t on any of you, though you all deserve something of a similar nature,” he sneers coldly. “Perhaps I ought to take a small lesson out of my wife’s book, only more controlled. Or even, if she is willing, unleash her on each of you... just with more controlled finesse, over the outburst of the many layers of pain and suffering you’ve caused on her. You two were the last to dare harm her, you, Septima, after I warned you no less.  
“You, Ms O’Dea tortured the girl who became my wife. You and your fellow Keepers. Punishing girls for the stupidest of mundane things to be punished over. You were stupid enough to think and believe you would always be safe in your position of power, and now you’re going to pay dearly. If you thought that what I had done to you was nasty, you haven’t seen anything yet.”  
He walks over to Dumbledore, who was still limp and motionless, but breathing rasped and excruciatingly. There were many puncture wounds on his chest and abdomen, a couple on his arm, and one very, very close to his groin. Sparrow, through her frenzy, did some pretty heavy damage with the little dagger that was on the floor where Severus made her drop it. He wasn’t going to tell Sparrow, but he did let her go for a few moments, before stepping in to stop her; it was what Sparrow really needed, even if she didn’t know she did at the time, and is still a little rattled by her own actions, but after a time, she will come to accept and also understand a little more on her heritage and power.  
Severus had known for a long time that Sparrow had suppressed strength and power; he knew she needed to reach it at her own pace. Dumbledore and others tried to make her feel as though she was of no use... and... Oh how it angered him deep to know of this now barely clinging to life twisted fuck had planned to use her and her untouched power. Use her body as a vessel for his gain... to get close to Severus and harness the Prince name and use him to sire children that would have the three bloodlines of three the once extremely powerful households of the Wizard World... and the Muggle world once upon a time...  
What Albus didn’t say, or get to say was the other part of the reason he was going to use Sparrow... and Severus... it wasn’t just to breed. No, it was to return things the way they were... before the statute of secrecy.  
How the fuck Albus was going to even achieve that was beyond Severus, and frankly, he didn’t care to find out.  
Severus picks up the bloody dagger, before placing one of his hands on Dumbledore’s head and forcing him to look at him.  
“S-Severus... I-I...”  
“Save it old man!” the dark eyes full of fire. “You should have realised that if you push someone so far and so long they eventually snap. I only stopped Sparrow for herself, not for you.”  
What Sparrow didn’t know that there was a different purpose for the dagger, it was specially crafted to carry out a certain task – though being stabbed is also a nice purpose being that it is still a dagger.  
Severus had seen her entering the area; she didn’t see him, as he was retrieving the special blade. He stayed back to watch what Sparrow would do. Wasn’t fully expecting the truth to come out the way it did, but in hindsight it was a good thing it did.  
“Now... to get back to business... only it would be satisfying to know that the silencing charm was lifted...”  
Severus reaches into his pocket and pulls out a set of gloves, puts them on, before going in closer to the man who was once seen as a mentor and friend to many, only to find out it was nothing but a façade.  
Dumbledore could feel the dagger ripping and whatever remained of his luscious robes, now completely ruined and covered in blood, until he was exposed.  
Severus’s lip curled when he saw that the old man didn’t even wear underwear of any kind underneath... but all the better for him, as he bought one of his gloved hands up and cupping the testicles just enough, and looking Albus dead in the eye as the other hand, holding the blade came up.  
At first he gritted his teeth, but the searing agony of the smooth, sharp blade and the feel of his flesh being sliced neatly and precisely, letting out sounds of definite display that he was indeed hurting. But he didn’t let it out until he saw Severus stepping away, holding the penis and testicles that were once Albus Dumbledore’s, getting him to have a good hard look at what he had lost, and watching Severus set it alight, allowing the flames to take over, the mixed smell of meat and metallic laced with putrid and sweet.  
Albus Dumbledore screamed and yelled many curses with his now not so ‘man’ voice, the loss of his man parts being the cause of his now slightly ‘lighter’ tone, (the blade ensured this with its special ability to castrate and change what needed to in an instant), as Severus drops the flaming balls and penis to the floor before the fire could consume his hand, and contained it with a ring of magic so no embers would spark out and catch anything else on fire.  
“You had this strange need to be a female...” Severus said with silk tone and quiet hatred, hushing the shouts and curses with the silence charm that sealed Dumbledore’s mouth shut. “I just gave you a different option, and it didn’t involve my wife. **You** chose me for her, **you** should have realised that when someone comes into my care in some form, I do all I can to ensure their safety and welfare is met. **You** should have also realised that I would allow Sparrow the freedoms that you never allowed her. To allow her to see the way I saw her for the first time in the lead up our marriage. She was more than a body to me... more than some _thing_ for your disgusting ideas! I saw her value, which is why I went back the fourth time, before the wedding day, because I wanted to make sure that she saw me as someone she can rely on, who would never exploit her for the person she is.  
“ **You** tried to destroy her! Your _arrogance_ is what has cost you! It has cost you your job! The people who had faith and trust in you and your honour... not that you had any in the first place! It has cost you your titles, your wealth... your wand.”  
Severus points to the ground where charcoal remained with a little bit of flesh and fat still yet to be burned to match the rest.  
“It has even cost you the one thing you couldn’t even contain! _**That**_ has violated way too many! Even your own daughter, **MY WIFE**! All to test out that chastity belt! Yet to find out what your real goals were... oh how much I wanted to go into the place they were holding you and kill you then and there.  
“ **My wife** is **not** for your _**fucking goddamn use**_! **My wife **may have been born out of rape and forced out of her mother prematurely. **My wife** may have put up with your abuse and the torture from _**that bitch**_!” He points right at Corinne. “But she is now in my care! **My wife** is _**not**_ to be _**fucked**_ with! _Not by you! Not by her! Not by anyone!_ _**I have warned**_**** against such actions time and time again. Forgetting that I had the ability to dish out punishments how I saw fit if anyone came to harm what was seen by many as my property!  
“Only **my wife** has the say on who gets to touch her! Only my wife gets to say what she wants to do! Or not do! _None of you_ have that right over her! Not when she married me and certainly not now with the new rules and laws that have come into effect with the phasing and abolishment of the Marriage Law.  
“My wife chose to stay with me out of her own free will! I am the one who instilled her with that way of thinking! I am the one who taught her what she should have the right to be taught in the first place! _**FUCK!**_ If she wanted to, I’d let her come back down here and teach her the way of the Princes... allow her to... explore... become a Mistress of Retribution if it is in her creative talents to pursue.  
“I didn’t even have to tell the Aurors what had happened with Sparrow and what she had done here... that was out of courtesy to them and their will to keep things flowing as the changes take place in this ‘brave new world’ we’re facing, so to speak. I also did it for my wife’s piece of mind. She is still adapting and evolving, learning more of what is in her own capabilities. None of what I did was for your benefits! You lost all of that freedom of choice!  
“Believe me, by the time I am done with you four, especially _**you**_ , Albus, you will be begging for mercy if you haven’t before, before you are turned into mindless servants. Well... that is a little false, you will still have minds... but they would be trapped and unable to break away from what I have planned for you...”  
Severus snuffs out the flames, where there was nothing but an ash pile to where Dumbledore’s blazing manhood had been dropped. He then magicked the now emasculated Dumbledore cleaned and ensured that all four had some food and water to keep their strength up, cleaned entirely from any mess they’ve made since they couldn’t exactly get to a bathroom and after being satisfied, double checked the restraints and spells to make sure that they didn’t have a chance in hell to escape, he even asked the House Elves to rotate and keep an eye on the guilty.  
He returns to the Master Suite and sees Sparrow had fallen asleep, the television was still on.  
Letting her be, he went to the bathroom.  
An air of satisfaction, Severus turns on the tap to start filling the tub.  
He wasn’t sorry for what he did. He could come with all sorts of ways to justify if anyone was to question what he did, but the truth of the fact was he knew he had done the right thing.  
Albus Dumbledore would not be raping anyone else. By the time Severus was finished... and if all goes to plan...  
His mind shuts off when he climbs into the large tub and sinks into the hot water.  
He closes his eyes for a moment. Relaxing.  
He feels movement, which causes him to open his eyes.  
Sparrow was standing next to the tub, naked.  
Severus moves and takes her hand and helps her climb in and carefully lowered her upon him; with her knees on either side of him in a straddle.  
He could sense that Sparrow knew that he had done something more. He could sense that she wanted to know and she wasn’t afraid to learn about it.  
With careful wording, he explained how he discovered that Albus to still be alive... and he carried out what he had originally planned to do.  
Sparrow begins to kiss him when he told her exactly what he did to the man who caused her pain, and really show Severus, her husband; just how much she appreciated him. She then whispers;  
“Can you teach me...?”  
Severus knew exactly what she was asking.  
“It will be my pleasure, my Sparrow,” he replies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dumbledore got more than he bargained for... X-D


	18. Last Straw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One can only handle things for so long...  
> But more truths come on out...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little more 'holy hell' ahead... as well as 'huh'? What?  
> But I like the ending...

Chapter Eighteen  
Last Straw

 

Taking things slow and steady, and ensuring that she was comfortable, Severus taught Sparrow how to carry out the art of retribution. Explaining how some would see it as torture and may display displeasure toward such a thing, even if the person on the receiving end is the scummiest of parasites to ever thieve the right for oxygen.  
He helped her find her control and comfort in carrying out the punishments. There have been a number of times where Sparrow wouldn’t or couldn’t do what she was learning, and Severus understood, he wasn’t expecting her to be where he was.  
“You can always change your mind, Sparrow,” he would remind her a few times.  
At first he would say this a fair bit, but as the time past, it became less, for she was finding that she was quite willing to try some of the items out. He was rather impressed when she cracked the riding crop hard as she could go on Albus’s back.  
It was safe to say that Albus Dumbledore was her favoured practice dummy. He would be forced to have potions that would keep him alive, and ensure he wouldn’t get infection... but he would still hurt and sting from any blow that was landed upon him. Her other ‘favourite’ was Corinne, the old Head Keeper, at least up until she, Cyrus and Vector were returned to the hands of the Aurors and DMLE.  
“You’re shattering her innocence, Severus!” Albus said once, when the silence charm was lifted for a session, and Sparrow was out of earshot.  
Severus gave a smirk and a sneer. “No... I’m ensuring her the justice she deserves... and she is of your blood, we both know that the females of your bloodline have had been more powerful than the males and can adapt and slip into the lifestyle of the partner they choose to be with, be it the Prewett Household’s abundant talent within the kitchen, be it fine dining to bakery to simple home cooking... you should know you have boasted about Molly Weasley’s fine ability to serve up a feast fit for a king; or even the Abbotts jack of all trades, but mostly in the Healing.  
“You should know because you wanted to rob her of her life and use her own skin to access me and my family’s crafts. Is that why you did what you did to your sister? Because you knew she would be more powerful than you? Aberforth didn’t seem to mind too much, being that he did what he could to protect her up until she died.  
“Sparrow is still every bit more innocent than you will ever be!”  
“Not when she spreads her legs for another man she won’t,” Albus challenged.  
He suddenly let out a very, very uncomfortable sound.  
Severus took a step to the side to see Sparrow standing inches behind Albus, looking extremely pissed off.  
“Get it out! Get it out!” Albus started screeching.  
Severus moved to stand beside Sparrow and saw the handle of a Wartenberg Wheel sticking out of Albus’s butthole. He couldn’t help but notice that he had been enlarged a little...

He couldn’t hide the amusement, as he said; “Well... you did insult Lady Snape, and frankly you ought to know how it felt for all those women when you forced yourself on them. I don’t usually allow such an act, but... in this case I am willing to make an exception.” He then whispers to Sparrow. “Make sure he really feels it... similar to when you used the dildo on me, only with more force and pain.”  
Severus made sure Sparrow had on gloves and stayed a few feet away, as the begging from Albus continued.  
“No! No! Please! I’m sorry! Just please! No more!”  
The torture only went for five minutes, but it was enough cause the area to bleed and bruise. Sparrow drops the bloody and shit covered pin wheel and promptly walks away from the area, both in between the expression of satisfaction that her father finally felt what she had when he forced himself upon, knowing that her chastity belt would hurt against his erection, and what her own mother, and many more must have felt, and of tears, not of regret, but of the remembered hurt she had felt by his own hand.  
She didn’t intend on doing the deed, but in a weird sense, it helped... she wouldn’t dare do that on just anyone!  
And anything sexual with Severus was done with gentle guidance and much assurance and comfort at each and every step, especially when she was first introduced to using a dildo on him, both between curiosity and, perhaps, a little excitement for both of them.  
Severus let her be, as he used his wand to destroy the enlarged Wartenberg Wheel.  
Albus was sobbing and shaking.  
“Please, just kill me!” he begged.  
“Uh-uh!” Severus replies, without a single trace of sympathy. “You’re mine for as long as I can keep you alive. I’ve been given good news of certain plans I’ve been wanting to carry out, and you, Albus, as a sweetener, are going to be part of those plans, in exchange for Cyrus, Septima and Corinne to be returned to the hands of the DMLE and placed into prison cells now that their time within Snape Manor is up, by which they would have their minds scrambled of what had happened here. They will remember, but are unable to piece together the full picture.  
“But no-one seemed to know what to do with you... a prison cell wouldn’t fit for you and your crimes, nor would a Dementor’s Kiss; so I offered to keep you, and granted the go ahead to allow for an in between worlds existence, where I can open up a business of my choosing in the Muggle World and use whatever means, be it via magic or muggle, without people being any the wiser... you will disappear and be forgotten... certain changes will happen with you... well... more than what has already happened anyway...  
“You will suffer for all the years you’ve started inflicting your pain on to others. You will feel the consequence,” he stops for a second to breathe. “Sparrow knows of what has been decided, she knows of the plans and the approval and the protection that has been put in place. So much as changed... more than you can even imagine... funny on what others, with an open mind and willing to listen and learn and adapt, can actually do when they’re not challenged and questioned and blackmailed by a ‘great wizard such as Albus Dumbledore’ and the many puppets you’ve put in place as Minister of Magic and other positions of power to enforce what you needed and wanted.”  
He didn’t know what Albus’s expression was giving... but he knew what was in his mind... the amount of ‘punishment’ the older wizard had received had broken his ability with Occlumency and shattering it completely, he also couldn’t penetrate Severus’s mind... or Sparrow’s – Severus gently taught her how to close her mind from such intrusions, and it’s helped her so much. (She’s even used it on him a few times, but most of the time, she didn’t seem to mind whether she knew what was on her mind, or not, because she trusted him strongly enough to keep that wall down).  
“Now... now... you know that sort of thinking toward Sparrow is only going to get you punished! I shall have to think of what means I ought to use when I return. But for now... I need to attend to my wife.”  
Albus could feel a soothing sensation going to his rear and being cleaned up, before being left alone in his shackles, with only a Snape/Prince loyal House Elf to keep an eye on him.

###

He found Sparrow in her little studio, where he mostly finds her after such session in learning the Art of Retribution.  
Deep into the painting she was doing – an elegant and powerful dragon with flames projecting from its mouth, but she sensed Severus’s presence. She stops and looks over to see him coming closer.  
“How are you handling?” he asks, running a gentle finger down her cheek, before cupping it.  
Sparrow leans into it, closing her eyes for a moment.  
“I will be okay, Cobra,” she replies.  
“Just wasn’t expecting yourself to do what you did?” he offers.  
She confirms by saying yes.  
Severus kisses the top of her head; “Everyone has limits, Sparrow. Even you will find them. Perhaps this one is a limit for you?”  
“Perhaps,” Sparrow agrees. “I just got angry when he said that about me. Because I would never...”  
His finger goes over her lips and silences her.  
“Never say never, Little Sparrow,” he tells her.  
This confused Sparrow.  
Severus kneels down in front of her to be more level with her eyes.  
“There was a point where I was in a three-way relationship. Where I shared a woman with another male... and this male and I would also be involved each other.”  
Sparrow had been told of Severus being partnered to both males and females, instead of shying away and being disgusted, she was curious and with questions and willing to understand and learn more about her husband and his way of life before she came into his world.  
“While I would never allow anyone to touch you right now, because of your age, only that is still reserved for me as your legal wedded husband and the allowance for it because of the circumstances that surrounded our union and our will to still be together even after the changes have been in place.  
“If you were a ‘free girl’ you wouldn’t be touched until you are sixteen, if you wished to be. For whatever reason, sixteen is seen as a fine age for sex to happen, even though seventeen is legal for everything else. I am not saying you would go jumping on the first bloke you see, as a lot of girls... with the exception of a few... don’t.”  
“Were you sixteen when you started having sex?” Sparrow asks.  
Severus nods. “Yes,” he said in truth. “But I also believe in commitment. As experimental as I was, I was always faithful to whomever I was with, until it fell apart for a reason or another. Even when there were times when the relationship was open, commitment was still a key factor. Always will be.”  
“I still do not understand what you mean. I’m trying to, it’s just...”  
“You know that I don’t expect you to know everything straight away, nor will I throw you into the deep end when it comes to your learning on subjects of interest, including the Art of Retribution, sex, the future, you name it.”  
“I don’t think I want to go with anyone else,” she tells him.  
“And that is fine, Sparrow. But if you wish to explore certain avenues, you know I can help you. Never be ashamed of getting in touch with that side of you... you’ll always be my shy little Sparrow, but I know you have a real tigress deep down that comes up every now and again... and I have seen her a few times...” He kisses her a few times on the cheeks, forehead and finishing at the lips. “Plus we know that we’ve been given approval for the go ahead of the plans I’ve talked to you about. In a few short months we’ll be with a slightly new existence, and in my case, a newer appearance with my age – I’ve been given permission to even change the year of my birth, to not just be closer to yours, but to be able to officially restart the clock on my biological being to give me more time to be with you... even though we will know the real truth, and a certain few who have helped us make this possible, only they will know... the rest... their memory of me will be wiped, well partially, they will know I still exist, they just won’t know that I have changed, unless they really see me and learn of the truth, but... chances of that are unlikely, not with what has been put in place.”  
“What will become of the Manor? And of you being Potions Master?” Sparrow asked.  
Severus explains, always ever patient with her, and knowing her need and wish to understand. “The Manor will always be here. It is still very much our home, so long as the Prince bloodline is still alive, the Manor will always remain... and I know you’ve expressed your desires on trying for a child when you’re ready to... so the Prince line will eventually continue and keep the Manor in our hands.  
“As for me being Potions Master, Minerva understands my choice to leave the school. I’ll be finishing at the end of the school year, as planned, giving the chance to go back and forth to put things in place between now and then, at least the larger elements, and will be replaced. She has been finding new teachers and expanding the way the school is taught, so that way it’s less stressful on the staff, adding subjects and more staff and dividing the timetables so it isn’t so compact like it was before. The way Hogwarts was once run before.  
“So you can be assured that it is being handled, my sweet.”  
Sparrow smiles, which has Severus smiling too.  
“Are you okay?” he then asks.  
She nods. “I am.”

###

The next few months were something of an up and down period. The news of the Marriage Law being no longer practiced was met with mixed feelings.  
“I’m glad that it is no longer in place!” Ron Weasley said firmly one morning after reading the Daily Prophet, where the headline read: ‘MARRIAGE LAW NOW ABOLISHED!’ and resting it on the Gryffindor House table for his friends to have the opportunity to take it and read for themselves. “Even if it was Professor Snape and Honey who stepped forward to really start the downturn.”  
“You mean Sparrow,” Hermione corrects.  
“Yeah... that’s just too weird for me to know right now,” Ron admits with a small grimace. “I’m not diminishing the truth, just... not ready to really comprehend it just yet. Considering on the facts of the matter.”  
“Ron isn’t the only one, Hermione. Dumbledore was seen as a great person. Many of us have been left a little shattered for what has been exposed. Many of us valued him and were all bewitched into seeing that he was something else,” Harry comments.  
Hermione nods with respect to her two friends.  
“Perhaps now that it’s official, not more innocence would be harmed for another person’s greed,” she says with quiet hope.  
Harry shakes his head. “That’s the problem, Hermione. Believe me I have the same hope as you. But so long as there are people like Dumbledore... even Voldemort... the shattering of innocence will always remain. It is how we, ourselves, as people, handle it.  
“Do we step up and say enough, no matter how many times it must be done. Or do we just bow our heads and pretend that it never happened?”  
Just as either Hermione or Ron was going to answer or comment, they see something from the corner of their eyes, causing them to turn and see, like many others.  
A large flock of owls came through the window and a banner unfurled...  
Shock and horror was upon the faces of many. Severus Snape’s eyes darkened as the voice from the banner blared.  
“WE HAVE THE LADY SNAPE! THE DESTROYER OF TRADITION! PUNISHMENT AND DEATH TO HER DISOBEDIENT SOUL!”  
The picture itself was of Sparrow... being repeatedly raped by masked men and killed in the process... the picture was set on a repeat cycle...  
It was then it with large fireballs that came from the wands of the staff members, including Lupin, McGonagall and Flitwick. The biggest fireball was from Severus Snape’s wand; he was visibly shaking with anger and genuine fear.  
McGonagall went over to him and spoke to him and had Lupin escort the Potions Master through the door to the chamber off the side of the dais, before addressing the students.  
“Morning lessons are cancelled, you are only allowed to the library or your common rooms until lunch time. Prefects will split themselves to be in either the common room or the library, Head Boy and Head Girl will be monitoring the Halls with the staff. You have five minutes to make your decisions and go to the locations pointed out, sensibly if you please.”  
There was no mistake in the buzz, but the students weren’t going to disobey the Headmistress, not when she’s been ensuring their welfare the moment she stepped into the role and made the changes she had.  
Before the five minutes, some had already started to make their way to their chosen locations, while the staff of the school started to search the school and its grounds... Sparrow was at Hogwarts... and this threat... it sent a lot of shockwaves and hope that nothing bad has seriously happened...  
“I wouldn’t want to be one who dared to hurt Snape’s wife about now,” Seamus Finnigan says.  
“Let alone threaten her,” Ron adds.

###

Severus checked his office first, finding Sparrow wasn’t there. But he found her wand discarded on the ground near where she would have been standing near the shelving.  
Some of the jars had been smashed, obvious signs of either struggle or a stupefy charm.  
“We’ll find her, Severus,” Remus Lupin assured, pulling out a thickly folded parchment that he had confiscated from Harry Potter a couple of months earlier, taps his wand and said; “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”  
If Severus wasn’t so preoccupied, he’d be giving a quip about now.  
Immediately the Marauder’s Map sprang to view, displaying the entire map of the school and most of the grounds.  
“There!” Remus points after scanning.  
Severus sees the name in perfect pen writing ‘Sparrow Snape’, right beside her name and dot was...  
“It can’t be!” his jaw drops and stares at an equally alarmed and stunned Remus.  
Not far behind was another name, but neither Severus, nor Remus, were wasting any time, they hurried to the area they found Sparrow being led toward...

###

It had come unexpected; Sparrow was relaxing in Severus’s office, rearranging the jars and objects on the shelves to be more ‘decorative’, and knowing Severus didn’t mind this – his only rule was to not rearrange the stock cupboard, because he had that specifically set up that works for him and it would be bad if he couldn’t find something in a hurry.  
She heard the door to the office opening and turned to see, as she thought Severus had returned, only to be facing a complete stranger. He was not that much taller than she was, with colourless balding hair, watery eyes and grubby skin, and rattish like facial features.  
“Who are you?” her voice full of alarm, grabbing her wand and pointing at him.  
“I went to school with your husband once... we were friends...” the man spoke in a squeaky like voice, taking a few steps toward her.  
Sparrow moved her wand, and fired a warning shot, in a stance that warned him not to take a step further.  
“Lady Snape! It’s okay!” said a voice of a person she did know.  
She peered to see Pansy Parkinson. She had become friends with the girl since she helped her on Christmas Day.  
“Who is this person?” Sparrow demands. “Shouldn’t McGonagall be told about him?”  
“He’s someone who’s been needing help, when I discovered who he was, I’ve been helping him, but we need your help now, and it’s very important.”  
Sparrow didn’t lower her wand, but looks at Pansy. “Why me? I really ought to send for McGonagall.”  
She had learned that there other people to trust and rely on, even though she was in her husband’s office, she knew that the Headmistress would need to know of this person and what he wanted.  
“You can trust me, Sparrow. He’s desperate for help!”  
Sparrow was torn on what to do.  
She lowers her wand a little, believing she could trust her friend... it was enough for a wand to suddenly appear, before Sparrow could react, she was thrown back into the shelves, seeing stars for a moment, and slumping to the floor.  
“Go! Quickly!” she hears Pansy saying to the stranger, as she was fading in and out.  
Sparrow tried to fight the hands off of her, only to be knocked out entirely.  
Next thing she knew she was finding herself in a place she hadn’t been before. Every single window in the room was boarded up, only slithers of sun broke through, but was weak through the layers of dust and dirt and moth eaten furniture that was broken.  
But only had a moment to even recollect on what happened, when she heard a low growl and snivelling sounds.  
She bolted right up, partly ignoring the throbbing at the back of her head.  
“I should kill you on the spot, Peter!” spoke the growling voice, full of vicious hate. “Not only for the betrayal of Lily and James, and of the falsehood you’ve pulled on us years ago, but for what you and what that lot were daring to do to that girl!”  
“Sirius! P-please!”  
Sparrow looked down at herself and saw that her skirt was up and knickers partly tugged down her thighs.  
“You... you could... join...”  
A sudden smacking sound and someone going into some form of furniture, followed by a groan.  
“I am not afraid to kill you, instead of just stunning you, like I did with Fudge over there, or bind you in a body binding and rope spell like those three... and I did send a little signal of sorts to alert our location! See, unlike you, I am willing to risk the Dementor’s Kiss knowing that you were apprehended and Lady Snape, oh yes, I know who she is and I’ve been keeping with the times where possible, is unharmed!”  
Sparrow groggily tires to move off the filthy mattress, fixing herself up as best as possible, and looked around better to see the stranger who was with Pansy Parkinson on the floor with the remains of a broken table beneath and around him, and another stranger, who looked rather gaunt, dirty and mangled black hair, tattered clothing.  
Then she saw an unconscious Cornelius Fudge and three tied up men... she remembered them... the McGraw Brothers and Pansy Parkinson’s brother, Randall.  
She didn’t understand. What was happening?  
A new voice enters, but one she knew too well; “You? Should have known you’d be involved too, Black!”  
Sparrow sees him storming in, wand out, ready to hurt someone, anyone. Remus wasn’t too far from behind.  
“Oh for honest to Merlin, Snape! Look around you! If I was involved all of them wouldn’t be as they are right now!” the mangled haired stranger, ‘Black’, sounded extremely insulted and annoyed. “I saw this scum, who many would have believed to have been dead all these bloody years, the reason why I got stuck in that stinking hellhole, Azkaban, carrying her,” pointing at Sparrow, “with that lot waiting in the tunnel or up here. I don’t know, as I was too busy following and trying not to lose sight of this piece of shit, being as I was coming from the forest in an attempt to get a hold of him!”  
Severus did see Peter Pettigrew, but with his wand still out, unsure what to really make of this with seeing Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, (even Remus wasn’t sure what to make of it, though he had a pretty good idea), went over to Sparrow.  
“Are you okay?” he asks her, kneeling on the floor in front of her.  
Sparrow nods.  
“Are you hurt?”  
“Sore head,” she mutters.  
“Nowhere else?”  
“No.”  
Not giving a damn, Severus kisses her forehead, before facing the rest of the room.  
His voice dangerous when he asked for them to start explaining.  
What was revealed sent enough waves to boil Severus’s blood hot, his eyes darkened and without so much as a warning, a flash of light springs from his wand... knocking Pettigrew out cold.  
“Send for McGonagall,” Severus tells Remus. “Perhaps Madam Pomfrey as well.”  
Remus didn’t delay.  
Severus didn’t lower his wand, staying very, very close to his wife, who had to lie back down, as she was feeling rather dizzy.  
“I’ll have to admit, never thought I’d see you ever caring for anyone who wasn’t yourself, Snape,” Black spoke, keeping his distance.  
Severus sneered laced with a bit of a smirk; “Shows how much you know about me, Black!”  
“Indeed,” Black replies, then his eyes shift to Sparrow, then frowns a little. “Is it just me, or are her lips turning blue?”  
Severus looks for himself to see that Sparrow’s lips were in fact turning a shade of blue and she was shivering.  
“Sparrow?”  
“Cobra?” she whispers, struggling to keep her eyes open.  
Severus puts his wand away and checks her over. His eyes widen when sees blood starting to seep out from between her legs, eerily similar to...  
“No-no-no! Sparrow! You stay with me!”  
“Is there anything I can do?”  
Severus looks at Black when he heard this.  
“Knock those three out or whatever, and make sure none of them can get out! Then help me get her out of here!”  
For the first time, whatever hatred that was between them was put aside. Black carried out the ‘orders’ and did his best to help Severus with Sparrow.  
Remus had been waiting near entrance of the tunnel where the subdued Whomping Willow happened to be, keeping his eye out for McGonagall and whoever else who saw his Patronus signal.  
He heard the movement and turned to see. Remus didn’t hesitate when he saw what was going on, and quickly summoned for a stretcher of sorts, and took Sparrow from Severus – as it was an awkward tunnel – and set her down on the stretcher.  
Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall and a couple of other staff members had arrived on the scene.  
“Sirius Black?” McGonagall cried with alarm, wand straight out.  
“He’s innocent!” Severus calls. “That tunnel leads to the Shrieking Shack; in there you will find the real culprits! You’ll understand when you see for yourself... though it will be a tad difficult to comprehend at first.”  
Pomfrey was already checking over Sparrow. “Severus help me get her to the infirmary,” she says without question of what she had to do.  
“You two, lead the way to what I need to see,” McGonagall commands to Remus and Black.  
Without further delays, all was carried out.

###

One month later...

Severus opens his eyes and sees the empty space beside him on the bed.  
Lifting his head and looking about his room, which wasn’t the Master Suite of Snape Manor, but just as nice; with the large bed, not a four-post, but still with a beautifully carved bed head, with a black and green cobra protecting a little soft brown and light blue sparrow, among grape vines of light and dark purple and silver, with tinges of gold and deep red; a large television mounted upon the wall opposite to the bed, with a DVD player; a doorway to that peeked into the en-suite, and another door that led out of the room.  
Pushing back the covers, Severus stumbles out of bed, not feeling so great as he didn’t have a lot of sleep. The nerves and too much thinking had gotten to him again.  
He doesn’t worry too much about putting on a pair of pants, walking out of the bedroom stark naked and into the open studio like apartment, where the layout was evenly decorated with his colours and... Her colours... he made sure of that when he was setting this place up.  
The sound of mugs clinking on the counter led him to the kitchen and the wonderful aroma of freshly made coffee, and the most beautiful sight to behold.  
Gently, his arms slip around her still naked body, drawing close and presses his lips firmly into the nook of her neck.  
“Good morning, my Cobra,” he hears her naturally soft voice, and lets out a small laugh. “And little Cobra.”  
“Mmm, little?” he purrs, knowing she was teasing. “Perhaps my Little Sparrow needs a little reminder on just how not so little the Cobra gets when he wants inside his little burrow.”  
Sparrow manages to turn and look right at him, smiling, Severus’s arms still around her, before allowing him to lift her just enough and steady against the counter, they start kissing, deeply, and it wasn’t long before they were Severus was taking Sparrow to the closest couch and sinking deep inside of her.  
One month ago he nearly lost her, the filthy fucks who did this had managed to place a little vial deep into her cervix, which started to automatically release the little concoction that nearly killed her the first time from the implanted one many moons before. If it wasn’t for Pomfrey’s quick actions and abilities, Sparrow wouldn’t have been able to survive the night.  
One month ago, after all that had happened, it was the final straw, Severus had resigned as Potions Master that very night of the incident and once Sparrow as well enough, disappeared with her, just as they had planned, only it was a few months sooner than intended. Only a selected few know where their real location is, but it is Severus and his wife Sparrow, who get the final say on who else gets to truly know what has happened, otherwise, all anyone needs to know is that Severus and Sparrow are hiding away somewhere in the Pacific Islands... or even rumoured to be in the Caribbean Isles instead, wherever they were, they weren’t coming back any time soon, and many couldn’t even blame them, not after the hell that they have been through, some people just couldn’t accept things for how they were and the change that comes with it.  
One month ago the truth of Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black came out, and also how Cornelius Fudge, Randall Parkinson and the McGraw brothers got out of their prisons. They were let out on ‘good behaviour’, it is unclear how that even happened, but it did, much to many people’s anger and disbelief. Pansy Parkinson was expelled for her involvement, turns out she wasn’t exactly forth coming when her brother tried to attack Lady Snape the first time during the Christmas Party at the Malfoy Manor... and she’s pretending to be nice and friendly and apologising to gain Sparrow’s trust...  
Pansy discovered Pettigrew by accident, and instead of turning him in, offered him a tantalising prize if he helped her spring her brother and a few others out and telling him everything he needed to know...  
Three weeks ago, Sirius Black was cleared, and in that time Harry Potter learned of the truth of what had happened. Harry accepted this and agreed to slowly get to know the man who was his Godfather, his father’s best friend.  
Severus, partially, forgave the man for past dealings, but didn’t mean he was willing to go ahead and be friends and such. It was a bit different toward Remus, however, because he did get to know the man a little more over the years, so forgiving him came more easily; plus there was also the factor that they were once involved with each other.  
Two weeks ago a brand new plaza style resort opened... well... it was more of a legally binding takeover, one that allowed for a name change to happen, without many being the wiser that it happened... well... to a degree anyway. The old owners needed to get out because of reasons and it was the opportunity that presented itself in the right timing and place for this young man in his early twenties to show up months earlier, with slick black hair and well dressed to present them with their way out and he is able to ensure that the plaza resort finds its feet once more, for it had slumped a little over the last three years and the owner just wasn’t feeling it anymore, needing to retire, peacefully.  
Mind the old owner did have doubts about this young man, but he was so smooth and professional, he said there were some promises that he will be able to keep, others cannot be of promise, because some things may or may not happen and it wouldn’t be fair to keep a promise that cannot be kept, no matter how small. It was enough.  
So, present day... Severus Prince and his wife Sparrow Prince, (by use of a bit of glamour when she was in public to throw people off of how old she really is), were enjoying this new life they have.  
Right now, seeming to enjoy a lot more than that...

End of Shattering of Innocence... the sequel will be coming soon...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay... I changed the way the third book was handled... I didn't want Pettigrew getting away! Not this time... and it was a little flipped, I will admit, but more of explanation and what happened might come into the sequel, depending on how it goes.
> 
> So what happens to Severus and Sparrow 'Prince' now? Right now they're too busy shagging on the couch... I'll have to get back to you when the sequel starts up...

**Author's Note:**

> Why the name Honey?  
> A trumped up belief that girls much have sweet and submissive names that are to please their husbands.  
> So such names as Honey, Pixie, Emily, Lacy, Fawn and many more are used when the girls are taken in. If their first name is already suitable, they keep it, otherwise it is changed, like Honey's was. The only thing of the name she may have had before was her middle name, "Michelle", that is all.  
> The only other thing she was allowed to know was her date of birth.


End file.
